The Life I Knew
by RamblingtowardsEcstasy
Summary: Prequel to 'In a Different Life' - *This is a Regina G!P Story if this isn't your thing then don't read.* 12 hours ago everything was going to plan. So how is it now, 12 hours later, Regina is on the run from the Italian Mafia...


**THE LIFE I KNEW**

**PRESENT (12 Hours ago)**

Regina bounced on her heels as she watched the red crosswalk figure flash intermediately from the opposite side of the street. Rolling her head from side to side, she glanced over her shoulder to the black Mercedes that, like every morning, followed her.

The driver acknowledged her with a two-finger lazy wave followed by a rev of the engine.

Glancing away, Regina jabbed her index finger hard against the 'walk' button several times, willing the red flashing figure to change colour.

Three, two, one. Green running man!

Glancing both ways up and down the street, she quickly took off with pace across the intersection and continued to pound the pavement, like she did, every morning.

Regina always felt her freest when she was taking her early morning run; even though she was followed closely by her small team of protectors. At first their need to chaperone her felt like an intrusion of her privacy but and over time, she had realised the necessity of it. She had fast become a prominent figure in the 'Cartel' she worked for and that meant there was a higher probability of her life becoming compromised by other rival organised crime gangs. Those three guys in the black Mercedes had, over the years, turned out to be a great asset to her if she ever encountered any trouble. Which had happened only a handful of times over the years. Now she was only grateful for their watchful eye over her. Even if it made it harder for her to relay the necessary intel to her superiors.

Passing the fish market on her right, she carried on due south toward the Charles River where she would cross another intersection and carry on along the pedestrian running lanes that ran parallel with the river until she reached the downtown underpass. Crossing back over the road, she turned north into the narrow-cobbled streets and follow them until she hit her only pit stop of the run. Gino's Bakery.

As she approached the corner shop bakery, she slowed her pace and glanced over her shoulder to the Mercedes that was still following closely behind. And like every morning, the car would park in the empty spot outside the shop, the driver's window would lower halfway and she would approach the car. With her hand planted on the top of the car, she ducked her head and smiled at the three men.

"Your usual, boys?" She asked, glancing to each of them.

With a collective nod, they muttered their appreciation before she informed them, she wouldn't be a minute. Glancing up and down the street, she turned on the spot and strolled into the bakery.

Pushing against the weathered store door, she glanced over her shoulder at the Mercedes. The driver's window was now fully closed. Everything was as it should be. Like it was every morning when she stopped into Gino's for a breakfast treat for her boys as she called them.

Tightly shutting the door behind her, she cased the bakery and sized up the pastries on offer; like she did every morning. Finally stopping at the counter, she pattered the small bell a few times and waited to be served.

Regina frowned slightly as her gaze fell upon the dark haired stubbly faced man who appeared from the back. It wasn't who she was expecting.

_Where was the brunette woman who usually served her? _

As her lips pursed tight together, she sized the man up as he strolled toward her and eventually stopped by the shelves of the freshly baked loaves of bread. His thick tattooed arms crossed over his chest.

"Is Belle not in today?" Regina asked.

With a shake of his head, the man spoke. "No, not today love."

Regina noted that he was masking his Irish twang with a non regional English accent.

"What can I get cha?" He followed up with.

Biting her bottom lip nervously, she nodded her head and stepped closer to the counter, almost leaning over it. "Enchant me with three of your finest pastries." She murmured.

With a nod of his head, the man swiftly moved toward the pastry cabinet and pulled out three different pastries and immediately bagged them before pulling out a fourth. "And for the fairest one of them all." He said, handing them to Regina.

Clutching the bags of pastries together, she couldn't shake the small nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach that something wasn't quite right. But the man before her had exchanged the correct code words which only those involved in the undercover operation would know. Perhaps Belle French, her usual undercover police contact, and colleague had genuinely been taken off the operation. It wasn't unusual for that to happen, especially if there was a chance that they could be easily recognised. She glanced warily at the man and together they simultaneously moved toward the cash register.

As the man rung up the pastries on the cash register, he glanced to Regina and smiled. "And as we know this magic comes with a price."

There it was, the final code word said in succession.

The brunette's shoulders instantly relaxed. All code words exchanged successfully. It was going to be alright. The man opposite her was a part of the undercover police operation she was also involved in.

Unclamping her mobile from the armband, she swiped the screen and open the secure app which she used to exchange her intel. Handing the mobile to the man, he attached a small hard drive 'dongle' to it and transferred all the information she had gathered over the last twenty-four hours.

"You be having a grand day." He smiled as he handed the mobile back to Regina.

"Thanks." She nodded curtly before exiting the shop quickly.

As she approached the black Mercedes, she glanced over her shoulder back to the shop; the man was still standing at the till watching her.

_Don't be stupid, Regina. Everything is alright. Code words exchanged; intel relayed like it is every day. So what if they have a different contact? This is not unusual given the situation. Remember when Belle replaced Jefferson a couple of years ago. Nothing happened then. You're just being paranoid._ She thought to herself. Sighing deeply, she quickly dismissed her worries.

As the driver's window lowered, she handed over the bagged pastries. "There you go boys." She murmured.

A collective murmur of gratefulness responded from the car before the passenger side door opened and her burly Italian protector got out and held the door open for her. Usually after their pit stop to Gino's the brunette would ride shot gun for the final leg of her morning run.

"Actually, I'm going to run the rest of the way today…" She nodded to the burly protector who gave her a questioning glance.

**~()~**

"So, you're telling me you deliberately pulled me off your precious operation because it is in jeopardy of being scraped altogether?" Belle French said, glaring to her superior who was sitting opposite her in the meeting room.

Gold picked up his gold-plated pen and twiddled it through his fingers. "It's for the greater good, Belle."

"Greater good, my arse!" Belle seethed. "You realise what you've done, right? You've handed Regina to the wolves. You've blown her cover and for what? So, you can get the result you want quicker?" She shook her head in disgust. "I can't believe you would do this, Robert." She stood up from her chair and walked in tight circles behind it. "After everything she has done for you and this department!" Her chest heaved sharply. "She was the one who figured everything out. She's jumped through every hoop to gain the recognition to join your beloved department and she was the one who convinced you to give her a chance to go undercover." She shook her head again. "Where she exceeded your expectations, I might add. And now. Now, you've made her a patsy, Robert. That's what you've done." She turned to him and paused slightly. "We might as well organise her 'real' funeral now."

Gold sighed heavily. "Don't be so dramatic dear." He dropped his pen to the table. "Regina is resourceful. Besides, if everything goes to plan, she will be in Witness Protection by the end of the day."

Belle leant heavily against the chair; her hands gripped the top. "She is not going to like this. I'm telling you, Robert." The woman shook her head sharply.

"It makes no difference whether she likes it or not, Belle. It's about what must be done to get the results we need." Gold replied as he gathered his files together and stood from the table, pushing his chair in. He glanced back to Belle and gave his final command. "I want you to personally arrange the WP for Regina. Make contact and give her this envelope." He produced a brown envelope from his inside jacket pocket and dropped it on the table. "That is all." And without a further word, he briskly exited the room; slamming the door behind him. Leaving Belle shaking her head in disbelief.

"You really are a piece of work, Robert Gold." Belle called out to the closed door.

Moments later, Belle French marched through the sea of detectives of the Major Crime Department and headed to her office within the Central Intelligence Hub or CIH for short. Pushing hard against the glass door, she glanced over her shoulder at the other detectives who were hard at work and oblivious to what their Chief and her ex-husband had done to one of their own. What would their reaction be if they found out that the mighty Robert Gold had deliberately compromised an undercover detective's identity?

The shit no doubt would hit the fan but of course Robert Gold would come out smelling of roses. He always did, somehow.

Letting the glass door swing close on its own, she briskly walked to her desk in the corner of the inner room. Her actions caused a few turning heads from her small team of agents. They knew better to interrupt her; it was obvious she was pissed off. Sitting down at her desk, Belle placed the brown envelope on the desk beside the keyboard and then glanced to her computer. Her eyes drifted to the envelope again. She sighed heavily to herself. She couldn't believe what she was about to do. This went against everything she believed in but when her ex-husband said 'jump' you better reply 'how high?' cos' if you didn't, the consequences didn't bare thinking about.

She didn't like it one bit. None of it. She was assisting him in covering up his deliberate attempt to compromise the identity of an undercover detective. And what made it worse. Regina Mills was her only friend here at the force. She was torn.

She remembered Regina's first day at the force like it was yesterday.

"_The open case field reports are filed here, and the copy goes over here." The auburn coloured haired woman said as she smiled to Regina and placed the reports in their appropriate pigeonholes. "Your job is to enter the case numbers and cross reference them on the main computer." The woman continued as they moved away from her area and walked back through the bullpen toward Regina's desk. "Any questions?" The woman asked as they stopped at Regina's station. _

_The brunette shook her head. "No, I think it's pretty straight forward." _

_She smiled widely. "Good. Listen any problems, give me a shout. My extension is one - zero - eight. If it's a technical issue with the computers, then you need to see Jerry in IT. I'm not that techno-savey yet, but I'm getting there." She chuckled to herself. _

_Regina smiled tightly. "Thanks Belle, you've been really helpful." _

"_No problem, Regina. It's good to finally have another female in Major Crimes." Belle smiled as she wandered off back to her station. _

_Regina pulled out her black swivel chair and casually took off her blazer, hanging it on the back of her chair before sitting down at the desk. Reaching for the computer mouse, she slid it an inch over her desk and the computer screen came to life. Moving the pointer across the screen, she clicked the login icon and glanced to the small laminated 'login' card Belle had given her a few minutes ago. Quickly typing in the details on the card, she got to work on the small pile of files Belle had left on her desk earlier. _

_She'd been employed at the Boston PD for the last seven weeks and had only just finished her in-depth detective training. She was now known as a desk detective and wouldn't be seeing any major action out on the field for at least two years. She could live with that. She realised the importance of gaining experience at the station first before being let loose on the streets of Boston. _

_A 'ping' echoed from her computer and a small text box appeared in the bottom left hand corner of the screen. Belle had sent the brunette a message. _

_**Lunch is at 1pm. Coffee? My treat. **_

_Regina glanced over her computer screen to the auburn coloured haired woman who was smiling hopefully at her. She glanced back at her screen as she typed out her reply. __**Okay**__._

_A few moments later, Regina heard the distant 'ping' from Belle's computer. Glancing over the top of her screen, Belle was smiling back and giving the brunette a thumbs up. Nodding and offering the woman a friendly smile, Regina glanced away and carried on with her work. _

_She'd been working tiresomely throughout the morning, only stopping for a few moments every now and then to rest her eyes from the computer screen or to relieve herself in the toilets and hadn't realised that it was coming up to one pm. Belle was already standing at the side of her station, her handbag hitched over her shoulder. _

_Regina glanced up from her screen and noticed the auburn coloured haired woman smiling back at her. _

"_Ready?" Belle asked. _

_Giving the woman a decisive head nod, Regina quickly closed her computer down and gathered up her handbag before following Belle to the elevators. As they approached, the doors opened, a peppery coloured haired man stepped out of the elevator. His expression unreadable as he passed the women. Regina's gaze drifted to the man as he carried on down the narrow corridor toward a secure area of the floor. She wondered what department the man belonged to. She watched as the man stopped at the secure door, swiped his pass card across the reader and glanced over his shoulder to Regina, who was staring back at him. Pursing his lips tight, he frowned slightly as he pushed open the door and disappeared inside. _

_As soon as the door to the elevator closed, Regina turned to Belle. "Who was that guy?"_

"_That's Robert Gold, he's the Chief Officer of Special Branch. Doesn't say much, keeps himself to himself." Belle shook her head. "You should feel honoured if he actually ever talks to you." She chuckled to herself, pushing the 'ground floor' button. _

_Regina's gaze drifted toward the cold steel elevator doors. She was curious to find out what they did in Special Branch. She made a note to herself to ask Belle over lunch. They rode the rest of the short journey in the elevator in silence. _

_Stepping out of the elevator together, they headed toward the in-house café and queued up with the rest of the hungry customers. Making their way to a table after they were served, the women sat down opposite one another. _

"_Tell me more about yourself." Belle asked, picking up her coffee and taking a sip._

_Regina's hands gripped her coffee mug tightly. She didn't like talking about herself. She was a private person. Licking her lips tentatively, she spoke. "Well I'm from a little harbour town in Maine. I've been the Sheriff for the last three years. There's not much to tell." She shrugged. _

_Belle lifted her eyebrows slowly. It was like getting blood from a stone. "Married?" She nodded toward the brunette's wedding ring. _

_Regina recoiled her hands from the mug of coffee and touched her wedding ring, spinning it around her finger. "Currently. Well separated to be honest. My wife is back in Maine." _

"_Oh sorry, I didn't mean to pry." Belle apologised. _

_Regina waved the apology away. "It's fine, it just…" She paused slightly. "happened…" Her voice trailed off. _

_Belle could see a whirlpool of emotions in the brunette's eyes. She offered Regina a hopeful smile. "Hey if you want someone to talk to, I'm all ears." _

_The brunette nodded thanks as she took a sip of the coffee to deflect the conversation. A moment later, she placed the mug back down in front of her and glanced around the café before letting her gaze drift back to Belle. "How about you?" _

"_Am I married?" Belle asked. _

_Regina nodded yes. _

"_It's complicated. But yes…" Her voice also trailing off. _

_Regina remained silent; she wasn't sure if she should enquire any further. Belle picked up on Regina indecision. _

"_I'm married to Robert Gold." She lifted her eyebrows and pursed her lips together. _

_Regina opened her mouth to speak. But Belle cut in before she could say a word. She knew what Regina was going to ask. _

"_I go by my maiden name because of BPD's policy against married couples working together. A few of the top brass know but no one else…" She paused slightly. "except you, now obviously." _

_Regina pursed her lips together and trailed her fingers over her lip, indicating that she'd keep it a secret. Belle smiled and nodded her thanks. An awkward silence washed over the woman before Regina realised that this could be the opening she needed to know what goes on behind the secured doors to Special Branch. _

"_Speaking of Gold, what is exactly Special Branch?" Regina asked, picking up her coffee and taking a sip. _

_Belle leant forward against the table. "It the specialist undercover branch for major crimes. They deal with organised crime organisations. It's all the highly confidential operations that take place in conjunction with the FBI and CIA etc. That's all I know." _

_Regina's ears pricked up; this was of interest for her. Before joining the force back in Storybrooke, she had tinkered with the idea of working with the FBI. She even went as far as applying and making it to the first stages of the recruitment process. "How do you join Special Branch?" _

_Belle shook her head. "You can't just join, they recruit you. That's how it works here…" _

_Regina leant back in her chair, feeling a bit dejected. "Oh. Sorry." _

"_It's usually ex-military candidates." Belle said. "Well that's what I have heard anyway." She shrugged before swilling her near empty mug and taking a gulp of rest of her coffee. "Anyway, enough shop talk, a few of the guys are going out for drinks on Friday and since you're the newbie, I'm cordially inviting you to join us. Newbie pays." She winked. _

_Regina gave a tight smile. "Count me in." _

"_That's the spirit!" Belle smiled. _

Stroking her chin, Belle glanced from the brown envelope to the computer screen in front of her. An idea formulated quickly. With her fingers poised on the keyboard, she typed in Regina's name on the screen. She would do Gold's bidding but would have her own 'Plan B' tucked up her sleeve for Regina if the need ever presented itself.

An hour later, Belle was making her way across town to meet up with Regina in a safe space which had been organised by the two. Pulling up to the curb, she glanced to the brown envelope that was poking out of the top of her handbag on the passenger seat beside her. This was it, after receiving this envelope there would be no going back for the brunette or even for herself for that matter.

Grabbing her handbag, she slung it over her shoulder and got out of the vehicle. Immediately clocking the black BPD van which pulled up a few cars behind her. She crossed the road quickly and headed toward the small café.

What she didn't notice was the black BMW parked further down the street. The driver and the passenger glanced to one another before the passenger dialled a number on his mobile and raised it to his ear.

As Belle entered the café, she glanced over her shoulder to the black BPD van where the special protection agents were preparing themselves for the next part of the meeting. Closing the door behind her, Belle couldn't see her brunette friend anywhere. Sitting down in the furthest booth, she pulled out her mobile and that was when she noticed the missed text message from Regina. Opening the message, she read it quickly and then glanced over her shoulder toward the toilets.

At the same time a waitress strolled over, pen and pad poised to take her order.

"A black coffee please." Belle murmured. "I'm just going to use your restrooms." She thumbed in the direction of the toilets. The waitress nodded and turned on the spot making her way back to the counter.

Belle quickly made her way to the toilets. As soon as she was inside, she locked the outer door behind her and loudly whispered Regina's name. Her gaze focusing on the three stall doors.

After a moment the last stall door opened, Regina walked out.

"Belle. what the hell is going on?" The brunette asked, her hands firmly planted on her hips.

"We haven't much time, Regina." Belle said, handing her the brown envelope.

The brunette gave her friend a questioning glance as she took the envelope and quickly tore it open. Pulling out the single piece of paper, she started to read the information on the page. After she was finished, she anxiously glanced to Belle. "What? My identity has been compromised. I'm out!" She folded the piece of paper in half.

Belle nodded. "I'm sorry, Regina. The directive is to enter you into WP ASAP."

"Witness Protection?" Regina asked.

Belle nodded again. "It's for your safety."

"My safety? I'm a dead woman walking, Belle. WP isn't going to save me!" Regina anxiously said, running her hands through her wavy bobbed hair. She glanced away from her friend who was standing a few feet from her. Turning away from her friend, she continued to run her fingers through her hair as she muttered harshly not only to herself but to Belle as well. "Shit! Shit! Shit!" She stopped suddenly and then turned to Belle. "Why weren't you at Bakery this morning?"

Gold had pre-empted this question to Belle during their meeting earlier.

"_If Regina asks why you weren't there, you tell her you were compromised." _Belle heard Gold's words ringing in her ears.

"I was compromised. Directive was to replace me." Belle said in an almost robotic fashion.

Regina frowned slightly; she had picked up on the subtle tonal change in her friend's voice. Licking her lips forcefully, Regina glanced away from her friend. Something wasn't right. She didn't know if she could trust Belle now or not. Stepping away from her friend, she leant against the titled wall of the restroom. She crossed her arms over her chest. "Who is organising my WP?" The brunette asked.

"I am." Belle replied as she slung her handbag off her shoulder and dropped it on the restroom countertop by the sink. Opening it up, she rummaged through it until she found what she was looking for. Pulling out a mobile, she turned it on and quickly typed out a message before turning the phone screen toward her friend.

The brunette squinted hard as she tried to read what was on the screen. Belle gestured for the brunette to step closer.

**Safe spot compromised. Bug in here. I have a plan for your safety. **

Brown wide eyes glanced from the screen to her friend; she couldn't believe what she had read. Regina frantically glanced around the room before darting into each stall. She was looking for the most obvious spot for a 'bug'. Exiting the last stall, Regina ran her hands under the edge of the countertop trying to find the bug. She only stopped what she was doing when Belle showed her another message she had just typed out.

**Trust me. Agree now to WP transfer. At BPD decline WP. Go home to Maine. Take this phone. They will find you eventually. Contact me when time is right. I will ensure your safety forever. **

"Okay, I'll come with you." Regina eventually murmured.

Belle nodded and gave her friend a thumbs up. "Good. There's a Protection Squad waiting outside. They will transfer you to BPD." Belle said, gathering up her handbag from the side as she gave Regina the mobile. She signalled for the brunette to put it down her bra for safe keeping. Unlocking the restroom outer door, she glanced back to her brunette friend. "Ready?" she asked.

The brunette nodded slightly. "As I ever will be."

Pushing open the door, Belle gestured for the brunette to follow her. Together they quickly walked through the café. Once outside, Belle turned to Regina. "You're making the right choice, Regina."

**~()~**

**PRESENT ( 9 hours ago)**

Regina was surrounded by four heavily set officers in their combat gear, together they moved swiftly through the lower ground carpark of the Boston Police Department. Initially she thought it a little extreme but if there was a chance of her life being at risk, then she was grateful for the protection. As they approached the elevator, the team stopped and immediately took up a defensive diamond formation around the brunette. With their semi-automatic rifles raised and pointed in all directions, they waited patiently for the elevator to arrive. Regina glanced over her shoulder, noticing that all the officers touched their earpieces in succession. A command obviously had been relayed to them. She turned back to the cold metal doors and glanced to the digital screen above, watching the numbers descend until a loud 'ding' noise alerted her to the fact the elevator had arrived. As the doors slid fully open, she was guided inside the elevator carriage. Turning around to face the front, Regina watched as the doors slowly closed, encasing the five of them inside.

Her gaze followed the numbers as they travelled through the floors until eventually the elevator came to a stop. As soon as the doors opened again, they were on the move again. Stepping out from the elevator, Regina glanced to her right. She had arrived in the Major Crimes Department. The last time she had been here was five years ago when she had been recruited for the Special Branch of Major Crimes. As far as anyone else knew, Regina had been sent packing when it had been discovered that for the last two year's she'd been running her own investigation into the Irish Mob and the prominent Italian Cartel that ran Boston's underworld.

_She had only been at the BPD for six months when she first noticed the pattern in the reports that she'd been processing. Up until now, she had steadily got to grips with the inner workings of the department. It had been just as Belle had hinted in her first week. A very male dominated department, where she and Belle were only seen as honorary detectives who were only good for filing and cross referencing the case reports. But if she was right about what she had found, it could be something substantial. This could define who she was as a detective and hopefully allow her to get a foot into the door of Special Branch. That was her goal. She wanted to be an undercover detective working out in the field amongst the real criminals. _

_Glancing over the top of her computer screen, she realised that nearly everyone had already left for the day. Her gaze drifted back to the open windows on the screen, she continued to read through the report as she scribbled notes on the lined notepad beside her. Thumbing back through the pages; she found the name she had been looking for. It was one of the first entries she'd written. The name Gamboli was written heavily and underlined a couple of times. Tapping her pen against the name, she then looked back to the report on the screen. His name had been mentioned numerous times. _

_She nervously bit her lip as she glanced over her shoulder, her gaze followed the only other detective who appeared now to be leaving for the day. His attention turned to the brunette staring at him. He gave her a smile, told her not to work to late before slinging his jacket over his shoulder and bidding her goodnight as he strolled toward the elevators. She turned back to the screen, quickly closed the windows down and turned off her computer. She couldn't risk anyone finding out that she had started an independent investigation into the Irish Mob and the Italian Cartel of Gamboli. _

_Only when the time was right and when she had absolute concrete evidence into whatever was going on would she present her investigation to her superior Robert Gold. Until then, this was a strictly off the clock and off record investigation. _

_Now that she was completely alone in the department, she decided it was time to access the encrypted national database. She needed to know more about this guy, Gamboli. Retrieving her mobile from the top drawer of her desk, she pushed herself away from the table and snatched her notebook. Clutching both items close to her chest, the brunette strolled through the department past the other detective's stations and headed toward the double glass doors of the Central Intelligence Hub. Swiping her plastic pass card against the door control panel, she gently pushed against the door as she glanced over her shoulder one more time. Making sure she was definitely alone before swiftly closing the door behind her. _

_Moving quickly to the command console, she wasted no time in firing up the system. Unlocking her phone, she scrolled through her encrypted notes app and found the document she was looking for. _

_Glancing to the oversized computer monitors on the wall before her, she started typing the password she had acquired out of luck at couple of weeks ago. Clicking her way through the system, she brought up the National Database login screen. She glanced to her phone again and then typed the other password she'd acquired again through plain dumb luck. She crossed her fingers, pursed her lips together and watched as the hourglass icon on the screen started to whirl clock ways in the middle of the screen. _

_After a few moments, she let out a breath of relief when the database opened to its search page. She glanced out the glass wall toward the department floor. She was alone. Positioning her fingers over the keyboard, she typed in the name 'Gamboli' as she glanced back to the screens. _

_A moment later the search came back and there were hundreds of listings for the name Gamboli. _

"_Great." She scoffed to herself. _

_Sighing in defeat, she slunk back in her seat. This was going to take longer than she thought. She looked up to the screens again, she couldn't risk any more time spent in here. The night cleaning staff would be here soon and they no doubt would be wondering why she was in here alone. Quickly she started to close the screens and gather up her possessions before exiting the secure inner room. _

_Grabbing her blazer from the back of the chair, she headed for the elevators. As she pushed the button to call the lift, she glanced to her right where Special Branch was. The door to the secure wing was closing by itself. Someone else was here._

It would be two years later when everything she had been working on would be revealed.

_Regina wrung her hands tightly together as the greying haired man studied the evidence before him. This hadn't been exactly the way she had wanted to present her findings, but with that being said, here she was after being hauled into his office only a matter of minutes ago. _

_Gold looked up from the multiple files in front of him to the brunette who was nervously wringing her hands together. "How long have you been working on this?" _

"_Two years Sir." Two long and very tiring years and it will be all for nothing. Regina thought to herself. _

_Gold didn't comment, his gaze drifted back to the files before him. He thumbed his way through the endless pages of the brunette's reports. "Why?" He finally glanced up. _

"_I found a discrepancy with the field agent's report, Sir." _

"_A discrepancy? Is your job not to just cross reference and file, Detective?" _

_Regina nodded. 'Yes, Sir." _

"_So why feel the need to elaborate upon your job description." Gold closed the file. _

"_Because I couldn't ignore the blatant mistakes this agent was making. The further I develed, I realised the true extent of what was happening, Sir." _

_Gold pursed his lips tight. "That the Irish mob & Gamboli Cartel are not only lording over the underworld but are trying to infiltrate BPD. At its highest levels?" _

"_Sir, yes Sir. I believe they are close and one of our own is responsible. It's only a matter of time before this department will be compromised. If it isn't already..." _

_Gold's head twitched sharply. "You have evidence of this?" _

"_No sir...but If I was permitted to carry on, I know I could find the evidence needed." Regina sighed deeply. _

_Gold remained silent. He looked to the files before him. It was a lot to take in. "Special Branch will take it from here, Detective." _

_Regina frowned heavily. She wasn't prepared to give up on her investigation just yet. "I respectfully have to disagree sir." _

_Gold cocked an eyebrow. "And I respectfully will take note of your disapproval, Detective. This is a matter of the highest confidentiality. If what you are saying is true then this department is in grave danger." _

"_Then make me a part of your team. I can carry on with the investigation. I have worked too hard to just give this up. I am not prepared to step away from it, Sir. I am too invested." _

_Gold had expected the brunette to fight for this and was glad to see that the brunette was prepared not to back down. That showed character in his eyes. The tenacity it took to be a part of Special Branch. But he wasn't going to make it easy for the her. Every agent that entered SB had to make the ultimate decision. A sacrifice as it was. Duty above everything else. _

"_Are you willing to make the ultimate sacrifice, Detective? There are no half measures. If you are in, there's no going back. It's the price you pay." Gold warned. "You need to be sure, it's what you want, Detective." _

_Regina studied the man before her. She knew his words were to scare her off, to second guess her decision, to make her really think about what she was prepared to give up. Ultimately, she was to sacrifice herself and the life she knew for the service. "The life I knew is dead already to me Sir. I can't lose anything else. I am prepared to make the sacrifice." _

_Gold didn't comment. She had told him what he wanted to hear. Like many before her had. The true test would be her actions. It was one thing to say it and another to actually live by it. Gold stood silently. "I am terminating your employment as Detective." _

"_What?! You can't be serious..." She said through gritted teeth. _

_He motioned for the detective to stand and follow him. Together they walked out of his office and to her desk. A few detectives stopped what they were doing and stared at the pair. Gold glanced to the brunette. "Your service is no longer required Detective. Empty your desk. Badge & gun if you may." He held out his hand for the items. _

_Regina sighed deeply as she unsheathed her semi-automatic weapon and took off her badge from around her neck and place them both in the palm of his hand. She opened the top drawer to her desk and pulled out the only thing that she wanted to keep. It was a photo of herself and her wife Emma on their wedding day. Running the thumb over her wife's smiling face, she smiled to herself before placing it in the inside pocket of her blazer. Turning to Gold, she spoke. "I'm done." _

_Without comment, Gold gestured toward the elevators. Regina didn't make any eye contact with her Chief or anyone else as she strolled toward the elevators. Pushing the button, she kept her eyes forward because if she didn't, they would see the hurt in her eyes. The doors slid open and Regina entered, turning to face Gold, she noticed he offered no hint of emotion on his face. Silently she countered stared at the man, showing him no weakness until the doors finally slid close. Lowering her gaze, she pursed her lips tight as she held back the tears that formed in her eyes._

_It was a long and lonely ride to the first-floor basement carpark for Regina. As the doors slid open, she pulled out her car keys from her pant suit pocket and toyed with them in her hands as she made her way to the silver Toyota sedan that had been issued to her when she joined the force. She wasn't sure how long she'd have the vehicle for before it too would be taken off her. But if it got her back to her apartment, she didn't really care. _

_Unlocking the driver's door, she stopped suddenly. Sensing someone behind her. Clutching the key in her hand, she slowly turned and squinted into the darkness; her gaze looking for any movement in the shadows. "You can come out..." She wasn't going to be intimidated. _

_There was an air of stillness for a brief moment before Gold appeared from the shadows. _

"_Gold..." She let out a breath of relief. For a split moment there, she was sure she was going to be mugged by a would-be assailant. _

"_Are you truly prepared to do what it takes to join SB?" Gold murmured as he approached. _

_Regina was taken aback by his question; she really thought her career ended a few minutes ago. In the elevator ride to the basement, she had mentally prepared herself for her return journey back to Maine with her tail between her legs and a sense of hopefulness that her wife would take her back. She remained silent. _

"_Are you prepared to give up everything, Regina?" Gold goaded. _

_The brunette licked her lips and nodded slowly. _

_Gold studied the woman before him. "Are you prepared to erase your former life, as though it never existed." _

_The brunette nodded. "I am." _

_The greying haired man silently stepped forward and handed her back her badge and gun. "You have forty-eight hours to get your affairs in order, Detective. After which an alias will be issued to you, a contact within SB will be assigned and well...The rest will be up to you. Good luck, Detective."_

"_I have only one request, Gold." _

_The man tilted his head to the side. _

"_My salary each month needs to be deposited into my wife's bank account. Under the pretence that it is a widow's pension. That is the only favour I ask." Regina said. _

_Gold didn't reply. He pursed his lips tight, stepped back into the shadows and disappeared. _

There were a few turning heads and long stares as the small group stepped out of the elevator. A soft muttering of voices gasped in surprise as a few detectives recognised Regina straight away. She raised her eyebrows to a few of them as she was escorted down the narrow corridor to Special Branch and was led into the meeting room. Regina's protection team filed off and waited outside. The brunette was left alone in the room. A pitcher of water and a glass were positioned in the middle of the table. Sitting down in an empty chair, the brunette helped herself to some water and waited.

But it wasn't long before the door opened again, and Belle entered. Closing the door behind her, she smiled to the brunette as she took up her place opposite Regina. A moment later they both glanced to the door as it opened again, two male WP agents entered the room silently.

"Hello Regina. My name is Agent Smith, I'm with Witness Protection. It is my understanding that you are voluntarily entering into the programme?" He gave the brunette a lopsided smile.

"Actually, I've changed my mind." Regina glanced to Belle subtly.

The WP agents looked at each other briefly then to the brunette.

"You understand the implications if you decline this programme, right?" The other agent said.

"I do. I am fully aware that I am putting my life at risk and that I will accept all responsibility to protect myself from any possible harm." Regina's stoic voice replied.

"You understand that your position here in Major Crimes is now obsolete and you will no longer hold the position of Detective. In effect you will, from now on be a civilian." Agent Smith explained.

"I do…" Regina murmured.

The agents glanced to one another, the other agent nodded his head in confirmation before opening the manilia folder and pulled out a document. He slid it and a pen to Regina.

"Please sign and date at the bottom." Agent Smith said.

As Regina picked up the pen, she glanced to the document and then to Belle. God! She hoped Belle knew what she was doing. Scrawling her signature at the bottom of the page, she pushed the document and the pen back to the agents where they witnessed the signature and glanced back to the brunette.

"Take care, Regina and good luck for the future." Agent Smith said as he stood and offered his hand for Regina to shake. Turning to Belle, he shook her hand before following his colleague out the room.

Once the door was shut, Regina let out a breath of air. "I hope you know what you're doing, Belle. I've just signed my life away." She leant back in the seat; crossing her arms over her chest.

"Trust me, Regina. This life you've lived for the last five years is over. You can return to the life you knew." Belle reached for the brunette to take her hand. Reluctantly, Regina reached out for her friend and took her hand.

"That's sweet Belle, but the life I knew. It died seven years ago, I'm not so sure it will welcome me back with open arms." Regina sighed.

In that moment, the door to the meeting room swung open and Robert Gold entered. His face furious.

"What are you playing at Regina? Declining WP. Are you on some kind of death wish?" He planted his hands firmly on the table. "You compromise your position and now this!"

Regina glared back at her superior before glancing to Belle. "Belle, do you mind leaving me and Gold for a moment."

The auburn coloured haired woman nodded and silently stood, she glanced to her ex-husband _Told you she wouldn't be happy _Belle said to herself as she brushed past him and exited the room, closing the door firmly behind her.

"You say I compromised my position, but for the last hour I have been trying to figure out how? I'm stumped. I have nothing." She shrugged heavily. "Your little directive wasn't much to go on, but I've gone along with it because it seemed I didn't have another other choice." She took a deep breath. "But I realised, I do have a choice. I am choosing the life I intended to have seven years ago because I realised I have absolutely nothing left to lose." She paused slightly before continuing. "WP can't protect me, even if I end up on the other side of the country, they will find me. I am a dead woman walking."

Gold furrowed his brow. "You know they will find you there as well."

"I know." She simply said. "But the difference is, I'll be waiting for them." She stood up from the chair and moved toward the door, holding it open, she glanced back to Gold. "Ensure my safety out of Boston that's the last favour I'm asking for."

Gold pursed his lips together. "Done."

**~()~**

As Regina exited the Boston Police Department for the last time. She finally felt free. It had been a long time coming; but she was free. Free of the constraints that were holding her down. No longer would she be answerable to anyone. She now had a chance to live the life she had wanted all those years ago before her mother had orchestrated and manipulated her life to the one, she had known for the last seven years.

The brunette had walked about a block or so when she stopped and turned toward the kerb, raising her hand to hail a cab. She knew that it would be a stroke of luck if she was able to, but what the hell! She was going to take a chance.

Moments later a yellow cab pulled up along side her. _It must be my lucky day_ She thought to herself as she opened the back door and slid into the seat. As she reached for the door to close it, it was wrenched open forcefully and she came face to face with the barrel of a semi-automatic pistol pointed at her.

FUCK!

She glanced to the driver who was trying to turn in his seat. "Drive! Just fucking drive!" She screamed at him.

The taxi driver didn't need telling twice, his foot slammed down hard on the accelerator and before they both knew it, they were halfway down the street, weaving in and out of the traffic. The brunette didn't recognise the burly thug that was hastily getting into a black BMW that had pulled up alongside him. Turning away from the rear window as they turned the corner sharply, Regina pulled the seatbelt over her shoulder and clicked it in place. Hopefully they had created enough distance between themselves and the black BMW.

"Lady, I don't want no trouble! But where am I driving too?" The taxi driver asked over his shoulder.

The brunette glanced to him. "Anywhere. Keep driving until I tell you to stop." She said, running her fingers through her hair as she turned in the seat and glanced over her shoulder out the window. She saw the black BMW gaining speed as it weaved through the traffic.

She needed a plan. But first she needed to escape the thugs in the BMW.

After driving around for the last couple of hours aimlessly, she hoped in God's name that they had shaken the heavies that were obviously sent to kill her. Glancing over her shoulder for the umpteenth time, she couldn't see the black car. It appeared that they had managed to shake the car that had been following them. But she knew they wouldn't be too far away. She was a marked woman and these guys would be relentless in their pursuit of capturing her. Slumping into the back of the seat, she glanced to the taxi driver whose hands were clenched around the steering wheel. He hadn't said a word for the last half hour but his nervous glances into the rear-vision mirror told Regina everything she needed to know. This guy was scared. And to be totally honest, so was she.

"Take a right here." Regina murmured.

The taxi driver turned the steering wheel to the right. He glanced into the mirror again at the brunette who was slumped down in the seat.

"Keep going…" Regina said, pushing herself up in the seat, glancing out the rear window, she was relieved that they were no longer being followed. The yellow taxi slowly drove through the narrow back streets of Boston. She glanced to the red digital numbers on the fare meter. It was a few dollars short from two hundred dollars. Digging deep into the pocket of her jeans, she pulled out the small wad of cash. Thumbing through the money, she had exactly two hundred and fifty dollars. She glanced to the driver. "Take me to 108 West Brooke Av"

Glancing over his shoulder, he gave the brunette a questioning stare. "You got it." He said, after a beat. Finally, he had a destination. Albeit on the other side of town. Glancing to the meter, he turned it off. "Call it two hundred." He said, taking the next turning.

Regina offered the driver a thankful smile as she leant her head against the headrest and closed her eyes. Her thoughts strangely focusing on the turn of events all those years that led her to this point.

_Regina slammed her open palms against the steering wheel several times as she glanced to towards the house, fresh hot tears streamed down her face. She was angry and upset. And in two minds to march back in there and give her blonde wife a piece of her mind. How dare she suggest that her mother was and had been manipulating her for years. _

_Although she knew that Emma and her mother didn't really get on, over the years, they would both be on their best behaviour when in the company of others. In private, it was a different matter. But over the recent months, an overspill of tension was surfacing by both parties and now, had created a wedge between the blonde and the brunette. _

_Tonight, was the final straw. _

'_Mother was right all along! Emma and this town are holding me back! Emma will never change! I fucking deserve that job opportunity in Boston! Why can't she see that?' Regina said to herself. _

_Furiously wiping angry tears from her redden cheeks, Regina's chest heaved sharply as she took a deep breath. Digging deep into the pocket of her Sheriff's parka, she pulled out her mobile. Swiping through the contacts, she found the one that she was looking for and raised the phone to her ear. As she waited for her call to be answered, she glanced toward the closed back door. The outside security light had now turned itself off and the house was once again cast in darkness. _

_Her call was eventually answered. _

"_Hello Sir, this is Regina Mills the Sheriff of Storybrooke." She paused slightly, glanced away from the back door and focused her gaze on the closed double garage doors. "I'd like to accept the position of Detective within Major Crimes." After a best, she answered the caller. "Yes sir, that's correct." She paused again, listening to the male voice on the other end of the phone. "I can be in Boston by tomorrow, possibly early afternoon." She glanced over her shoulder toward her suitcase of clothes that she had placed on the back seat of the rental car only a matter of minutes earlier. "Yes sir, I'm looking forward to working with you as well. Thank you so much for this opportunity." She glanced back to the house. Emma was now standing by the back door, her arms crossed over her t-shirt covered chest and tears streaming down her face. "Thank you again." She lowered the phone and ended the call, tucking her phone back into the pocket of her parka. _

_Frowning deeply to herself, Regina started the car and glanced toward Emma who was approaching the car. Shaking her head indignantly, she slammed the gearstick into reverse and pressed her foot heavily against the accelerator pedal. Emma's steps quicken as she tried to catch up with the car as it reversed down the drive. _

_Calling out for the brunette to stop, Emma's bare feet skimmed over the paved drive as she chased the car to the road. Stopping at the kerb, the blonde watched as Regina stopped the car in the middle of the road, revved the engine once and took a final glance at her wife before quickly driving off, passing her wife who had stepped off the kerb and was standing in the middle of the road. _

_Glancing into the rear-vision mirror, Regina saw Emma slowly crouch to the ground. Her hand covering her mouth as she sobbed heavily to herself. Pursing her lips tightly together, Regina tightly shut her eyes. She wouldn't allow the impending tears to fill her eyes. All the while her mother's words ringing through her ears. _

'_She could never truly love you, all of you, you silly girl. You'll see this is for the best.'_

**~()~**

**SEVEN YEARS A GO…**

Emma groaned to herself as her eyes fluttered open and her arm stretched over to the empty side of the bed. Her hand felt the cold sheet before recoiling itself, she grabbed the sheet and scrunched it in her fist as another wave of nausea swept over her. Letting out a breath, she covered her mouth with her hand and flung the covers back as she quickly got out of the bed and headed toward the bathroom.

Quickly crouching before the toilet, she lifted the lid and emptied the contents of her stomach down the pan. Groaning to herself, she lifted her head and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. She took a deep breath and reached for the flusher leaver, pulling it sharply down.

Pushing back from the toilet, Emma sat on her knees against the cold tiled floor. She closed her eyes and thanked god that she didn't have anything else to throw up. She'd been like this for the past two weeks and was increasingly becoming tired of her new morning ritual.

When she'd seen her doctor a week and half ago about the sudden vomiting and nausea, she honestly thought he was going to say that she had a stomach bug or food poisoning. It was reasonable to think so, because at the time, she remembered that the lamb kebab she'd had a couple of nights earlier did taste a little off. But that wasn't the case, especially after the blood test that confirmed she was indeed pregnant.

Pregnant at twenty-three.

She was a young adult, at the start of her life. She was still studying for the career she wanted. And the thought of starting a family hadn't crossed her mind. Perhaps in a few years, when she was twenty-six. But not now.

How on Earth was she going to raise a child when she was basically one herself?

Apart from that issue, she wasn't in a financial position to do so. Babies cost money and her part time wage she received from the local diner wouldn't cover the cost of raising a child. Then there was her university course fees. The odds were stacked against her and she honestly didn't know how she was going to cope. She would have to give up her house, move in with her foster sister and her husband and raise her child there. But that wasn't an ideal situation. The apartment wasn't big enough for three adults and a baby. With all these factors mounting up fast, she couldn't help but feel anxious about the situation she found herself in.

Also, and this was the most important issue, she needed to tell Regina that she was pregnant with their child. That needed to be done as soon as possible but and to be totally honest, Emma couldn't care less what her brunette wife's thoughts and feelings would be about it all. Regina had chosen having a career over a living a life together, seven weeks ago.

She'd made it perfectly clear to the blonde when she had said that Emma was holding her back from having any sort of career. It's funny though, the brunette hadn't until about six months ago mention anything about wanting a career. She'd seem happy to be the sheriff of this sleepy harbour town. They had plans to raise a family and grow old together, no mention of a career until Regina's mother planted the seed in the brunette's head and constantly suggested that it would be for the best.

She scoffed loudly to herself. Cora Mills was a piece of work. Thank god she wouldn't have to have any more dealings with the woman. She was a toxic manipulatively monstrous woman who cared only about her own agenda and the perception she was bestowing upon others. Slowly a small smile appeared over her face as she thought about Regina's father, Henry Mills. She'd always had a soft spot for him, because he was such a kind and caring man who absolutely adored his daughter and she had a sneaking suspicion liked her as well. She would miss him.

Instinctively, she placed her hand over her stomach. She would have to tell them about their grandchild. She bit her bottom lip as she thought about when would be the best time too.

_Not yet, wait until after your first scan. _She told herself.

Standing up on shaky legs, Emma grabbed the edges of the small vanity sink and looked at her own reflection in the mirror. She took a deep breath, turned the taps on and splashed the cold water over her face, to freshen herself up. Scrunching her eyes shut, Emma took a few quick successions of breaths and opened her eyes. The nausea was subsiding but and if it was like the last few days, she knew she'd be hugging the toilet again before the end of the day.

But she couldn't worry about that now, she had to get to class.

**~()~**

Emma wiped down the counter for what must have been the hundredth time since her shift started at four o'clock that afternoon. Glancing outside into the darkness of the main street, she knew that the overspill of patrons from the Rabbit Hole would soon be ascending upon the diner any minute now. Scrunching the cloth in her hands, she sighed to herself as she walked back into the kitchen.

"Rubes, I'm gonna take five. Cover me." Emma said, dropping the cloth into the deep stainless-steel sink as she glanced to her best friend who was perched upon a stool doing inventory.

Giving the blonde a thumbs up, Ruby didn't bother to look up from her paperwork.

Grabbing her mobile from the side, Emma strolled out the back door to the dimly lit alleyway. Perching herself on the small brick wall that sat alongside the diner, she started to scroll through her messages. Her foster sister, Mary-Margaret had texted earlier inviting the blonde around for dinner on Friday night. This had been the third time her sister had invited her, since Regina had left Storybrooke. And each time before, Emma had declined. She wasn't ready to deal with the inquisition that she knew her sister would bestow. Once again, she declined but this time ended the text with a little bit of optimism.** Perhaps soon X**

And then like she did every day she flicked onto the last message she had received from her brunette wife.

**You've been teasing me all day, Mrs Swan-Mills with those racy text messages. Are you sure you can handle me? Love you, my darling. Xx **

Blushing and smiling to herself, Emma started to remember the night she'd received this message.

_She had not long got out of the shower and was deciding whether or not to greet Regina in the new lacey underwear she had bought. Holding up the turquoise coloured thong. she decided to slip them on. Because she knew that Regina would appreciate taking them off. Looking to the matching bra, she decided to slip that on as well, Regina would indeed appreciate the effort she was going too. _

_Reaching for the glass of wine that she had placed on the bedside cabinet, Emma took a sip and stood before the free-standing mirror that stood in the corner of their master bedroom admiring her new purchase. Twirling on the spot, she then turned away from the mirror and glanced over her shoulder back toward the mirror, fluttering her eyelashes, she fluffed the ends of her wavy shoulder length blonde hair with her free hand. The blonde tendrils bounced back into place as she turned around and looked at herself in the mirror again. Taking another sip of wine, she walked out of the bedroom, swaying her hips just that little bit more as she padded down the corridor toward the sweeping staircase. Descending the stairs slowly, Emma padded against the cold wooden floor and headed toward the kitchen. _

_Resting the glass of wine on the kitchen countertop. She perched herself on top of the kitchen island, she crossed one leg over the other and waited in the dim light for her wife. _

_She'd lifted her head when she heard Regina pull up on the drive. Hearing the car door open and close soon after, Emma repositioned herself on the counter-top and crossed her legs again. Between her thighs she could feel the wetness of anticipation stirring. She licked her lips as she heard the back door open and close. Regina's heavy boots thumped against the wooden flooring as she made her way through the house. Pushing out her small chest, Emma's back straightened as she waited for her wife to appear in the doorway._

_The kitchen was always the first place Regina would go to when she got home from a long day at work. She would always find the blonde there with their dinner plated or find her standing by the stove cooking their evening meal. _

_But tonight, all she would find was Emma sitting in on the island, waiting. _

_Regina stopped in the doorway, as her hand reached for the light switch, she stopped when she saw her blonde wife sitting on top of the kitchen island. Arching an eyebrow and moistening her lips with her tongue, the brunette slowly stalked further into the kitchen and stopped before her wife. She bit her bottom lip with her teeth as her gaze drifted over her scantily clad wife's body._

"_Are they new?" Regina asked. _

_Emma pursed her lips together and smirked. "Might be…" She teased. _

_Raising her eyebrows, the brunette smiled widely. "You look beautiful." _

_Emma dipped her head and blushed slightly. Lifting her hooded eyelids, she fluttered her eyelashes as she reached out for her wife. "Dinner is ready…" _

_Regina didn't need telling twice. She loosened her brown tie and dropped it to the floor beside her feet before quickly unbuttoning her brown uniform shirt, pulling it out from her trousers, she slid the shirt off her shoulders to reveal her own lacey red bra. Stepping closer to her wife, she uncrossed the blonde's legs. Immediately smelling Emma's arousal. Taking a deep breath in from her nose, she rolled her head around her shoulders. _

_Sweet like honeycrisp. Hardy like honeycrisp. That was Emma's aroma. And Regina would never tire of that smell. _

_Unbuckling her belt and popping the top button of her brown uniform trousers, she slowly pulled at the zipper until it was open. She shimmed her trousers over her hips to reveal a pair of red Calvin Klein boyshorts. Her bulge straining against the material. Running her hand over her length, she fondled her member as her brown eyes focused on the scrap of material between her wife's legs. _

_Emma licked her lips in anticipation as she watched Regina's hand roughly stroke her member over the material and then suddenly disappear under the waist band only to reappear a few moments later. Hooking her thumbs over the waist band, Regina pushed the underpants down over her hips and her sizeable cock bobbed freely in front of her. Spitting into her hand for extra lubrication, she rubbed her saliva over the head of her cock as she positioned herself between her wife's thighs. She then reached out and took a hold of the thin scrap of material, pulling it aside. As her knuckles grazed the moist hairless slit, Emma's body shuddered in response. _

_A moment later, Emma leant back and slid herself closer to the edge of the countertop, so Regina would be in the right position. Cradling the blonde's legs over her forearms, the brunette pushed the blonde's legs wider allowing her bobbing cock to graze against the moist slit. _

"_Please…" Emma murmured softly. _

_Without a word, Regina hooked one of Emma's legs over her shoulder and took a hold of her throbbing member; rubbing and prodding at the blonde's entrance. "Beg." Regina smirked. _

"_Please baby, I'm so wet for you. I need you…" Emma husked, rolling her hips so her apex kept in contact with Regina's cock. _

"_Better…" _

"_Fuck me hard." Emma murmured._

_Regina tilted her head to the side and licked her lips. "Gladly." Taking the blonde by surprise, she pushed her cock deep inside the blonde's entrance. _

_Their hips rolled in unison as they quickly found their rhythm. _

_Emma's reverie was broken when she heard the distant noise of revellers making their way toward Granny's Diner. Looking up from the screen and toward the small public walkway that ran adjacent the diner, she saw a small group of people laughing and chatting loudly. Clicking the lock button of her mobile, she pocketed her phone and made her way back inside the diner. _

_Not only was that the night their baby was conceived but it was also the night Regina left her. _

**~()~**

Ruby nudged the freezer door shut with her hip as she juggled the two tubs of ice cream and the spoons in her hands and padded softly across the titled floor and exited the kitchen and headed toward the lounge. Entering the lounge, she found her heavily pregnant best friend resting lengthways on her L-shaped sofa. The blonde's bare feet perched upon a cushion and the tv remote balancing on her stomach.

"Rocky road or..." Ruby looked at the other tub "Cookie Dough?" She said, sitting down on the sofa by the blonde's feet.

Emma glanced from the TV screen to her best friend. "Can I have both?"

The brunette smirked. "We'll go half an' half, Momma Swan." She handed Emma a tub of ice cream.

Digging her elbows into the cushioned seat, Emma shuffled her body until she was sitting up right. "Deal." She smiled, accepting the tub of ice cream and immediately popping the lid open. Burrowing her spoon into the cookie dough ice cream, Emma happily smirked at the spoonful of ice cream as she brought it to her waiting lips. Moaning in appreciation at the velvety taste, the blonde licked the spoon clean before glancing to Ruby.

"God damn that's good ice cream!" Ruby murmured to herself.

"I know, right?"

"Best thing to happen to Storybrooke in a long time."

"Have you met the owner of 'Any Given Sundae' yet? The blonde asked, scooping another spoonful of ice cream and then immediately biting into the cookie dough chunk.

Ruby shook her head. "No not yet. Dorothy met her the other day though, when the woman popped into the Hole to introduce herself." She raised her eyebrows. "She said she seems really nice."

Emma arched an eyebrow subtly. "Dorothy hey? Not Miss Gale anymore." Emma teased.

Ruby shrugged. "Our friendship has evolved. First name basis now."

"But still no first base?" Emma chuckled.

Frowning, Ruby replied. "Nah, she's holding back but I did blow her a kiss if that counts."

"Meh. It's a swing and a miss, Rubes. But don't worry, you'll get there." The blonde chuckled softly.

"Yeah when your child is like five years old or something. I can't wait that long." Ruby huffed to herself.

"Give her time, Ruby. Her aunt not long passed away. The best thing you can do is be there for her, while she's grieving." Emma shrugged, turning her attention back to her ice cream.

"I know. I know. It's just I really like her." Ruby whined.

"And she likes you; that's why she invited you out for drinks next week, right?" Emma said, pointing her spoon at her friend.

Ruby pulled a face. "I'm not sure it was exclusive. Her exact words were 'Join us for drinks'. Her friend, Britney…Bethany or whatever her name is, was with her." She shrugged lightly as she took another spoonful of her ice cream. "Will you come with? So, I'm not third wheeling it."

Rolling her eyes dramatically, Emma shook her head. "Rubes, I am vicariously living my life through you now days." She said, patting her stomach a few times.

Ruby lifted the cushion with Emma's feet on it and placed it on her lap as she scooted closer to the blonde. Leaning awkwardly over the blonde's stomach, she spoke to the baby. "Whatcha say baby? Should your Momma join me for drinks next week? Kick once for yes, twice for no." She then rested her hand over the blonde's stomach, waiting for a reaction. There was nothing.

Emma chuckled softly. "I think she's asleep at the moment."

Glancing to her best friend, Ruby pulled a face. "I still say you're having a boy." She rubbed Emma's stomach tenderly.

Emma shook her head indignantly "I feel it's a girl." She glanced away to the screen and then back to her friend. "But to be honest, as long as it's healthy, I'm not bothered."

They exchanged tubs of ice cream and carried on eating them in silence whilst watching a rerun of a "Friends" episode until Ruby finally glanced to her friend and spoke.

"Have you heard from Regina's parents since you told them about the baby?"

Emma dropped her spoon in the empty tub and set it down on the coffee table. Shaking her head, she sighed deeply to herself. "She wants a DNA test done before they commit to or acknowledge anything…"

"Really!?" Ruby exclaimed loudly. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Well actually, she could. This was typical Cora Mills behaviour. "I hope you told her where to go!" Ruby pursed her lips tight and shook her head.

"I explained that it is definitely Regina's baby and that there is no chance that it's not." Emma said, rubbing her eyes. She could feel fresh tears welling in her eyes.

"And?" Ruby hated to be left hanging.

"And she said until there's absolute proof, they would appreciate not to be contacted." Emma sighed.

"What the!? Oh, that woman is something else…Really? The gall of that woman. I have a right mind to go over there and knock some sense into her." Ruby was starting to get angry. She replaced the lid of her ice cream and discarded it on the coffee table.

"Rubes, there's no use. It would do no good, only stir up shit I don't want or need." Emma pursed her lips together as she held back the impending tears, but it was too late, they were now falling over her rosy cheeks. She sniffed loudly and wiped her cheeks with her fingers. "It's over. Regina isn't coming back."

Ruby gave her a questioning look.

"Cora said she's been in contact with Regina. And apparently, she's found someone else." Emma murmured softly, hiding her devastation behind her hands covering her face.

Before Emma realised what was happening, Ruby was holding and consoling her. Her brunette friend was holding her close to her chest, rubbing wide circles against her back and offering soothing words of apology to the blonde who finally allowed the tears to finally fall.

**~()~**

PRESENT (3hours ago)

Feeling the taxi slow down and come to a stop, Regina opened her eyes and glanced out her window. They had hit the five o'clock traffic jams that Boston was renowned for. Sighing to herself, her gaze drifted to a guy in a red sedan who was talking animatedly into his mobile. Even though both their windows were up, she could clearly hear the guys conversation.

"This position will not only define me within the company but..." The guy roared into the phone before pausing as he glanced to his right and noticed a brunette woman in the taxi beside him listening into his conversation. Turning away, he lowered his voice as carried on the conversation.

Even though she had only caught part of the conversation, it reminded Regina of the phone call she'd received from her mother years earlier. Consequently, this would be the last time Regina would speak to her.

_Regina stared at the blacken screen of her mobile. Bridging her fingers together, she raised her steepled hands to her mouth. She had just ended a most peculiar phone call from her mother. _

_Thoughts of how in the hell had her mother been able to obtain her new number confused the brunette. Because when she had left Storybrooke nine months ago, she made sure that no one and that included Emma would be able to contact her. _

_Pacing around her small kitchen area, she glanced to the phone periodically as her mother's parting words repeated themselves on a loop. _

'_The choices you make in life will define who you are to me…' _

_Stopping mid-step, she leant against the opposite cabinet and turned her attention to her mobile. Her mother was basically telling her never to return to the life she knew in Storybrooke because it would only reaffirm the disappointment Regina was to her. _

_With her mouth twitching sporadically, she lowered her gaze from the phone; ashamed to think that once again she had managed to disappoint her mother. _

_And as for Emma. Well Cora all but told her that it was for the best to forget about the blonde. That the brunette was delude in ever thinking that they could ever live a normal life, especially with Regina's 'condition' as she delicately put it._

_It was clear to Regina that Cora would never truly accept that Regina was a woman born with a penis. If her own mother couldn't how could Emma?_

_And in that moment, Regina made a promise to herself that she would never disappoint her mother again. She was going to be the absolute best version of herself and if that meant sacrificing everyone she loved and who loved her, then, so be it. _

_Regina lifted her head and glanced to the illuminated digits on her oven clock. It was a few minutes to midnight. Tomorrow was to mark the first day of the rest of her life. _

"_The life I knew is dead to me." Regina muttered to herself as she snatched her mobile off the side and retreated to her bedroom. _

**~()~**

SEVEN YEARS A GO…

"What are you going to name her?" Mary-Margaret asked her blonde sister.

Emma looked to her baby girl cradled in her arms. "Hope. Hope Ava Swan."

Smiling widely, Mary-Margaret was pleased that her foster sister was going to incorporate her mother's names as well. "That's such a lovely name, Em. I know my mother would have felt honoured that you gave your daughter her name." She kissed her fingers and then touched her niece's forehead. The new-born baby girl pulled a face before snuggling back into her mother's arms.

"She's a proper little snuggle-bug." Emma chucked, pulling the baby blanket more securely around her daughter and giving her a chaste kiss on her forehead.

"She sure is." MM paused slightly before continuing. "I see Cora Mills is here. She was standing by the nurse's station, talking to someone on the phone." She glanced to David. They knew exactly who Emma's mother in law was talking to. It was Regina. As they passed the woman, they couldn't but help overhear the intense conversation Cora was having with Regina. They exchanged a look to each other and pulled the exact expression of 'pity' for Emma's wife.

Emma sighed deeply. "Hmm, yes she popped in earlier. I'm not exactly sure why? She took one look at her granddaughter and then made some lame excuse and left." She shook her head. "She's still denying all existence of this little one until she gets a DNA test."

"Really? She's still concerning herself with a stupid test." David questioned from the corner of the room.

Emma nodded. "I won't do it though. I don't need a test to prove that this is Regina's child. I haven't slept with anyone else." She smiled at her baby. "We don't need that mean ol' lady in our life, do we snuggle-bug. It's just you and me, kiddo." She kissed the top of her daughter's head.

"Exactly! And besides, David and I will help you raise Hope, Emma. I'm sure Ruby will want to be involved." MM said, nodding to her husband. Who nodded back, agreeing with his wife.

"She has mentioned that she wants to be Hope's godmother a dozen times already." Emma chuckled to herself. "I can't deny her that role."

"And we will be the fun aunt and uncle who will gladly babysit whenever you want, Em." David piped up as MM nodded eagerly.

"Thanks guys…" Emma raised her hand to cover her mouth as she tried to stifle her yawn.

The blonde was exhausted. After nine hours of being in labour; all she wanted to do was sleep for a week. MM and David exchanged glances at each other and indicated that they should leave and let Emma and her baby rest. Nodding toward the door, David stood and gathered their winter jackets. Passing his wife's jacket to her, he slipped his on.

"Anyway Em, we're gonna go. I have an early start tomorrow." David said, patting the pockets of his jacket as he felt for his car keys.

Emma nodded. "Thanks for coming, guys. I appreciate all the gifts." She glanced to the pile of cuddly toys, balloons and the small hamper of essentials that her sister had made for her.

"You're welcome, Em. We'll visit again after David finishes his shift tomorrow." Mary-Margaret said as she wrapped her woollen scarf around her neck and leant toward her sister, giving her a chaste kiss on her cheek and one for her niece. "Bye bye snuggle-bug. Be good for your momma."

David followed his wife's actions and moved toward the door, holding it open for his wife so she could exit first. Glancing back to his sister in law, he waved goodbye and blew Hope another kiss, which Emma caught and placed on her daughter's head. Moments later she glanced up as Cora Mills re-entered the room; standing in the open doorway, clutching her mobile in her gloved hands.

"My daughter didn't answer the call. I left a message, but I don't hold any hope for her ringing me back, Ms Swan." Cora lied.

When Cora had called Regina a few minutes ago, her brunette daughter had indeed picked up straight away. She could tell in her daughter's voice that she was surprised to hear from her. The tone of conversation was forced but civil all the same, she sensed an underlying tension coming from her daughter.

Cora had every intention of announcing to her daughter the birth of her first child but at the last minute decided against it; when she saw Emma Swan's foster sister Mary-Margaret and her husband, David Nolan give each other a knowing glance as they passed her at the nurses station.

This small incident fuelled her decision to express her dominance over her daughter's decisions and life, just that little bit more. She ended the phone call by reminding Regina that the choices that she makes in life will define who Regina is to her.

"Thanks for trying, Cora. I appreciate it. Perhaps it's for the best, she obviously doesn't want to know." Emma replied, knowing full well that Regina's mother was lying through her teeth.

Mary-Margaret had all but told Emma who Cora was on the phone too. She understood her sister's need to protect her from being hurt anymore in life. And if Regina's mother was prepared, after all these years, to continue with this childish pathetic game of undermining their relationship then two could play at this game. In that moment, Emma was going to make sure that Hope Ava Swan knew exactly who her other parent was because after all, she had named their daughter after the one thing that fuelled her own fire. Hope. Hope that one day, Regina would return and that they could live the life they were meant to live. Together, as a family.

"I bid you and your daughter goodnight, Ms Swan. Henry will be in touch about organizing the DNA testing soon." Cora's face stolid as she backed out of the room and let the door swing shut.

Emma rolled her eyes and glanced to her daughter who was fighting her own yawn. "And that snuggle-bug is your grandmother." She studied her baby girl for a moment. "Hope, I promise that you will never want for anything, love and laughter will always fill our hearts and home. And every chance I get, I will tell you all about your other mother." She kissed her daughter softly on the forehead. "I love you, sweetheart."

**~()~**

SIX YEARS A GO…

Regina placed her handgun on the shelf in front of her and slipped off the noise cancelling headphones from her ears. Thumping the large red button to her left, she watched as the large outline target whirled and flapped in the air closer to her. When it was in reaching distance, she unhooked it and replaced it with another before hitting the red button again. It travelled in the air back to its position.

Studying the used target, she noticed how she was steadily improving her shot. It wouldn't be long before she would be able to hit the mark every single time. Her instructor had mentioned to her at the last practice that he thought she had a natural raw talent for marksmanship and would be happy to train her in other combative tactics, if she was interested. So, over the last week, she gave his offer some serious thought and today, when she saw him, she would accept it.

Glancing to the illuminated digits on the stop clock that was housed in the shelf in front of her, she quickly prepared herself for another round of target practice. Replacing her headphones, she quickly reloaded the spare clip of bullets into her modified Glock handgun and took up the offensive stance her instructor had shown her. Raising her arms, she aimed her weapon at the target and waited for the low decibel claxon to sound through her headphones. Firing shot after shot until she was empty, she whacked the clock to stop. Lowering her gun and releasing the empty clip, she checked her handgun and placed the safety on before sheathing her weapon in the shoulder holster she wore.

Arching her eyebrow as she glanced to the clock, she realised she was a little quicker than last round. As she smiled to herself, she thumped the red button and watched as the battered target travelled back along the pulley toward her. Unhooking it from its housing, she folded it in half and placed it on top of the others and took off her headphones, hooking them on the loose nail that hung from station to her left. She swiped her membership card through the reader under the shelf, she was officially finished for the day.

Making her way through the firing range, her gaze drifted to the other officers that were using the facilities; everyone was concentrating on their practice and didn't notice the brunette as she made her way toward the locker rooms. Upon entering the locker rooms, she strolled toward her allocated one to retrieve her possessions. Opening the combination lock, she swung the metal door open and grabbed her designer blazer off the hanger and quickly put it on. Pulling at the lapels and straightening her collar, she then picked up her handbag and slung it over her shoulder. Closing the door to the locker, she turned away and carried on through the area until she found the main reception area.

Approaching the desk, she noticed her instructor chatting to one of the reception staff, he glanced toward her and smiled as he leant over the desk and retrieved Regina's results for the day. Studying the sheet, he raised his eyebrows in appreciation and then looked to the brunette who was now standing in front of him. Handing her the results, he smiled widely.

"Well done, Regina! Impressive. You've improved from last week. Keep up the good work." The instructor said.

Glancing at the results, Regina pulled a face; she knew she could do better. "Thanks, but practice makes perfect." She frowned.

"It does indeed, but I'd say you're near enough perfect, Regina." The instructor replied, stepping away from the desk, he walked around the reception station and stood before the brunette. "In fact, if your free now I'd like to take you out for a coffee, we can discuss things." He gave her a questioning gaze and shrugged expectedly.

Regina glanced to the receptionist who was smirking to herself as she tried not to eves drop on their conversation. Lowering her gaze, the brunette nervously ran her teeth over her bottom lip and held it them there momentarily as her gaze drifted back to the instructor who was waiting for an answer. Blushing slightly, Regina ran her fingers through her hair before shaking her head no.

"I'll have to decline the offer, I'm actually married." She showed the man her wedding ring. "I don't think my wife will be too happy if I'm late home, she's planning something special." She lied.

Oh burn! The receptionist scoffed lightly to herself as she smirked at the brunette who fleetingly glanced at her before turning her gaze to the instructor who was red-faced with embarrassment.

"Oh sorry, I didn't mean to assume, Regina. It's just I admire your natural ability. But it's totally cool, I get it. No harm." The man quickly back tracked, raising his hands in defence.

Regina shook her head. "It's fine. I think it's best to keep things professional, yeah?"

"Indeed! Keep this professional." He nodded eagerly, wishing he hadn't said anything at all.

"Speaking of, you did offer to train me in other combative tactics. I'd like to accept your offer." Regina quickly said, trying to change the subject.

"Great!" He smiled.

"Text me the details and I'll be there." Regina replied, hitching her handbag over her shoulder.

"Will do!" He glanced to the receptionist who had now stopped working all together and was totally listening into their conversation. Frowning slightly at the woman, he glanced back to the brunette. "Anyway, I've gotta go..." He gestured his thumb over his shoulder a few times. "Say hi to the wife for me. I'll text you the details soon. He said with a little less enthusiasm in his voice as he backed away from Regina. Offering her a small peace-making wave, he turned and briskly walked away, glancing to the receptionist who was trying to hide her smirk behind her hand.

Watching him disappear back into the rifle range, Regina turned to the receptionist, winked and flashed her infamous smile. "Give my regards to your wife, Marion."

"Will do, Regina. See you next week." The woman responded as she watched Regina exit the building.

** ~()~ **

Regina's head flopped to her left, her mouth twitched suddenly as she rubbed her cheek against her pillow; her mouth opened slightly as an audible gasp escaped, followed by a soft moan. Her closed hooded eyes flickered and fluttered in her sleep as her pupils darted from side to side. She was dreaming. It wasn't a nightmare this time but quite the opposite.

Swallowing deeply in her sleep, she licked her lips as her clench fist relaxed against her naked chest and started to slowly move to her stomach, her fingers splayed across it. Moaning softly to herself in her sleep, her lips parted, and her the tip of her tongue dabbed her bottom lip.

Tonight's dream was more than that. It was a memory from the summer just before her twenty-third birthday.

_The blonde hitched her overnight bag over her shoulder as she shut the fly screen door behind her and stepped across the porch; skipping down the five or so stairs before quickly hurrying down the path toward Ruby's red mustang charger that was idling at the curb. _

_Upon seeing her blonde friend, Regina pushed open the passenger door and stepped out, pushing forward the seat, she held the door open for the blonde. _

_Emma smiled widely to her friends as she shut the waist high picket gate behind her and skipped over the car. Lobbing her bag into the car, she ducked her head as got into the car and made herself comfortable in the middle of the backseat. _

_Pushing the seat back, Regina glanced over to the house. Emma's foster sister Mary-Margaret was standing in the doorway, her hands poised on her hips. Rolling her eyes at Emma's sister, Regina slid into the front passenger seat and slammed the door shut. Taking one last glance at Emma's foster sister, she smirked as she blew the brunette a sarcastic kiss as the car pulled away from the kerb and raced down the street. She couldn't stand Mary-Margaret Blanchard. _

_The three friends laughed and chatted amongst each other as Ruby's Charger travelled through the wide streets of Storybrooke and headed out toward the town line; eventually stopping about five miles from the Storybrooke. _

"_We're here bitches!" Ruby sing-songed as she stepped out of her car and walked off toward the jetty. Glancing over her shoulder, Ruby noticed her friends following behind. _

_Standing at the end of the jetty, Ruby gaze drifted out over the lake as Regina and Emma sidled up either side of her. Throwing her arms around their shoulders, Ruby pulled them close to her body and together the three of them gazed over the lake. "Promise we'll always be best friends." She murmured. _

"_Promise." Regina and Emma answered in unison. _

_Smiling widely to herself, she placed a kiss on their cheeks. "Great! Now let's get shitfaced!" _

_Ducking way from her friends, Ruby walked back to the car and popped the trunk; revealing a crate of beers. Heaving it out of the trunk, she strolled back to the jetty and placed it down at the end. Handing her best friends their bottles of beer, she popped her capped top and clinked her bottle against her friends before taking a long swig of her beer. _

_Together they sat at the jetty's edge with their legs dangling over the side as they happily consumed the crate of beer and watched the afternoon dusk turn to night whilst the fourth of July fireworks lit up the summer night sky in the distance. _

_As the early morning light crept across the lake, Regina's eyes twitched and flickered open, she smacked her lips together and swallowed heavily, she was in desperate need of a drink of water. Lifting her head from the makeshift pillow she'd made last night, she glanced to her left, Emma was asleep on her side turned away from her. The blonde was softly snoring. To her right, Ruby was in the exact mirror image position as their blonde friend. She sat up and ran her fingers through her shoulder length brunette hair, scooping it up into a ponytail, she wrapped a hairband around it. Heaving her body off the ground, Regina stumbled forward, tripping over a few empty bottles of beer that were discarded and scattered around them. Bending down to pick a few of them up, she dropped the empty bottles into the crate. _

_Standing at the edge with her hands on her hips, Regina watched the sun rise over the lake. _

"_Stick em' up." Emma's hoarsely whispered into her brunette friends' ear as she poked her index finger into the small of her back. _

_Smirking as she turned to face Emma, she slowly raised her hands above her head. "What are you going to do now, Miss Swan?" She teased. _

"_This!" Emma replied, pushing Regina hard. _

_With wide eyes, Regina stumbled back and fell into the lake with a large splash. _

_Roaring with laughter, Emma stepped closer to the edge and watched her friend come to the surface. Bobbing up and down in the chest deep water, Regina scowled at the blonde as she wiped the water from her eyes and pushed her wet brunette hair from her face. _

_Oh, payback was going to be a bitch!_

_Seizing the opportunity, Regina reached up for Emma's ankle and gave it a tug, causing the blonde to lose her balance and fall into the water beside her. Roaring with laughter, Regina waited until the blonde came to the surface before splashing her with a torrid of the fresh water. Together they laughed and play fought in the cold water until their lips started to turn blue and their fingertips become shrivelled. _

_Helping each other out of the water, together they padded along the wooden jetty and made their way to the grassy knoll where Ruby was still sleeping. Well passed out. _

Regina smiled to herself in her sleep. If her memory served her right, this dream was leading to the moment when she not only realised her feelings for the blonde but also the first time they kissed and went that little bit further.

_Emma hugged herself in vain as she tried to get warm. She whispered to Regina that she was going to change her clothes. Quickly making her way to the car, Emma glanced over her shoulder, hoping that her brunette friend was following. Indivertibly her gaze dropped to the groin area of the brunette's sopping wet jeans and the distinct outline of a bulge. Turning away sharply, she lowered her gaze to the ground and blushed lightly as she nibbled her bottom lip. _

_Emma was about twelve or thirteen when she had found out the full extent of Regina's secret. It was her foster sister, Mary-Margaret who had cruelly divulged the secret about Regina to a group of 'cool' kids because she had wanted to 'fit' in with them. At the time, Emma felt incredibly sorry for the brunette and angry at her foster sister for doing such a thing. Soon after, she had befriended the brunette and her friend Ruby. And pretty much since then the three were inseparable. _

_But now, she was twenty and realised that over the last few years had developed a crush on her brunette friend. For Emma, Regina was the most beautiful woman she'd ever seen. Inside and out. And for that, she couldn't help but feel privileged to be one of Regina's best friends. _

_As she reached the car, Emma opened the passenger door and leant in over the back seat of the Charger to retrieve her bag from the backseat. _

_Regina stopped mid-step when she saw Emma leaning over in the car. Trying to hide her eyes, she glanced away but couldn't help but turn her attention back to the blonde's perky backside wiggling as the blonde riffled through her bag for her clothes. Pursing her lips together, the brunette allowed a muffled moan to escape her lips as she glanced down to her growing bulge. _

'_Not now. Please not now. Come on it's Emma, your best friend.' Regina said to herself over and over again as she moved around to the trunk of the car to retrieve her bag. _

_As she popped the trunk, Regina pushed her growing bulge down with her hand. It was no use, an image of the blondes sopping wet shorts clinging to her perky backside flashed before her mind's eye. _

_Closing her eyes tight, Regina could feel her cheeks blushing. This hadn't been the first time she had thought about the blonde in this way. Oh no these thoughts were becoming increasingly more frequent. But it wasn't restricted to only thoughts; she was rapidly developing 'feelings' for the blonde. Deep feelings for the blonde. _

_She never forgot how she instantly admired the blonde for standing by her and also for holding no judgement against her (like the other kids had) when her 'secret' was revealed. This had formed the basis for their friendship and now quickly over the years, that friendship grew into something stronger and deeper, to the point where she felt protective of the blonde. _

_But now, it was more than that. _

_Retrieving her spare clothes from her bag, she quickly shimmied out of her wet jeans and was about to change into her dry underpants when she heard Emma shriek loudly. Foregoing her dry clothes, the brunette darted from behind the car to where Emma was. The blonde was jumping up and down on the spot in her underwear frantically flapping her hands in the air as she tried to rid the bees that were hovering around her. _

_Rolling her eyes and chuckling to herself, Regina curiously watched as Emma tried in vain to get rid of the bees. _

"_You think this is funny, Mills? There's one on you." Emma smugly said. _

_The brunette's eyes went wide as she darted to her right and frantically started brushing away the bee from her wet t-shirt when she glanced to Emma who was laughing hard at her expense. Realising quickly that Emma was pulling her leg, she stopped suddenly and glared at her best friend. _

"_Oh my god, you should have seen your face!" Emma chuckled. "It was a picture…" _

_Narrowing her eyes, she stepped closer to the blonde who instinctively took a step back toward the car. "Just you wait, I'm going to…" Regina murmured. _

"_What? Huh, tough guy, what are you going to do?" Emma sassed, but instantly regretted it as she felt the side of the car against her back. She was trapped. _

_Raising an eyebrow, Regina leant against the blonde, her hands firmly planted either side of the blonde's shoulders, pinning her against the car. "This!" And with one swooping move, she lifted the blonde off her feet, spun around quickly before marching back down toward the jetty. _

"_No! No Regina…Please don't…Put me down." Emma shriek, realising what the brunette was going to do. Glancing to their brunette friend who was still passed out on the grassy knoll, she yelled for the Ruby to wake up. "Rubes! Save me, from the Evil Queen." She laughed playfully. _

"_She won't save you, princess…" Regina cackled. _

_Reaching the end of the jetty, Regina held Emma tightly. "One last chance, princess." The brunette sneered "To say you're sorry…" _

"_Never!" Emma playfully replied. _

"_Oh well, I'm sorry it's come to this." Regina shrugged as she tried to drop Emma off the side of the jetty into the water. But with the blonde holding tight onto the brunette, they both toppled forward into the lake with a splash. _

_As the pair surfaced, the blonde and the brunette looked to each other and started laughing hysterically before they suddenly stopped in unison and really looked at each other. _

_Before Regina knew what was happening, Emma had captured her lips quickly, tugging and pulling at the plump bottom lip. As she let out a soft moan, Regina felt Emma's hands on her hips and then travel up her body and rest upon her strong shoulders. Draping her hands around Regina's neck, Emma leant into the brunette's body. She felt the bulge in Regina's underpants get hard against her thigh. _

_Pulling away from the brunette's lips, Emma immediately blushed. Licking her lips, her gaze fell upon the deep brown eyes that were lusting back at her. Taking a hold of Regina's hand, she led them toward the shore, where they quickly passed a sleeping Ruby and headed toward their best friend's car. _

_Pushing the passenger seat forward, Emma ushered Regina to the back seat first before quickly following closely behind, closing the door with a thud behind her. Emma's intention was to continue what was started in the lake a minute ago. She nipped and tugged at the brunette's bottom lip as her hands travelled down along the curvature of the wet t-shirt and stopped when it felt the growing bulge in the brunette's underpants. Releasing the brunette's lip with a wet pop, Emma's gaze drifted to the bulging outline of Regina's semi-erect cock. Biting her bottom lip, she glanced back to the brunette who was watching her curiously. _

"_Please…" Regina murmured. _

_Shifting her body off the brunette, Emma gripped Regina's wet underpants and pulled them down over the brunette's hips, revealing a twitching and throbbing semi-erect cock. Biting her bottom lip nervously, Emma swept her wet blonde hair from around her neck and lowered her head, kissing the tip of the sizeable throbbing member before her. _

_Moaning softly to herself, Regina closed her eyes tight as her head lolled back against the cold metal frame of the car as Emma's head bobbed up and down over her cock. Slowly opening her eyes, Regina watched in awe as the blonde kissed, licked and sucked her off ruthlessly. _

Regina's eyes shot open as the alarm on her bedside clock blared out. Glancing to her left, she scrowled at the time. It was morning. Turning on her side, she flung her arm out from under the covers and across to the clock. Her fingers furiously started pushing any button she could to make the incessant beeping stop.

Silence. Finally, there was silence.

Shifting onto her back and stretching her body out, she felt her member straining against the material of her Calvin Klein underpants. Scrunching her eyes tightly together, her right hand travelled under the covers again and rested on her taunt naked stomach. Splaying her fingers over it, she flexed her fingers and allowed her hand to continue to her groin.

She needed relief.

**~()~**

Perching her one-year old daughter on her hip, Emma quickly stepped and fell into line behind the other graduates. Of all the days she really could have done with a babysitter, it seemed everyone she knew was mysteriously unavailable. Sighing to herself, her gaze fell upon the Dean of the local University as he shook hands with the first of the students and handed them their ceremonial diploma. Thankfully this year's class wasn't overly large and the whole ceremony would be over and done with within an hour. She glanced to her daughter who was reaching out for the black robe of the student in front of her; taking a hold of Hope's hand, she directed it away. Tisking softly, she shook her head, telling her daughter no.

When she first started the youth worker course at the age of twenty-one, she never in a million years believed that she would be graduating with a 'first' in her class, married and have a one-year old baby attached to her hip. How her life had drastically changed in the last three years. But she'd done it. Somehow.

As she stepped closer to the small staircase to the stage, Emma poked her tongue out at her daughter and jiggled her a couple of times on her hip as she tried to entertain her. Hope squeaked and gurgled with excitement in reply to the blonde. Having her own conversation with her mother. Emma nodded several times, looked thoughtful and then blew Hope a soft raspberry in reply. Hope then gurgled again and flapped her arms in response. "I know snuggle-bug." Emma whispered softly before turning to the steward on her right. She in a whisper confirmed her name and watched at the elderly woman marked her off the list.

"Would you like me to hold her whilst you get your diploma, Ms Swan?" The older woman asked.

Emma glanced to her daughter and then to the woman. "No, it's fine, she deserves it as much as me." She chuckled, making light of the situation.

The woman smiled warmly at the blonde and the one year old. "No problem. She's been very well behaved."

Kissing the top of her daughter's head, Emma pulled a face. "Makes a first, I guess."

The woman chuckled softly and nodded for Emma to approach the foot of the staircase.

Resting against the railing, Emma watched and listened to the Dean explain to the crowd in the small auditorium of Emma's achievements by receiving the only 'first' in her graduating year. Upon hearing her name, Emma slowly ascended the stairs and stepped upon the stage. A round of applause rung out around the auditorium as Emma fleetingly glanced toward the crowd. That was when she noticed Ruby, her sister Mary-Margaret and David applauding and whooting at the blonde.

Pursing her lips and frowning subtly, she couldn't believe that her 'family' as she called them were here after all. Those sneaky so and so's Emma thought to herself as she approached the Dean who was waiting for the blonde with her diploma ready in his hands.

With an outstretched hand, she shook the Deans and took her diploma in one swift motion. She then glanced to Hope who with wide eyes was staring out into the crowd. The Dean then tapped the one year old on her knee to gain her attention, his hand poised ready for the baby girl to take. Turning her head sharply, Hope frowned and scrunched her face, she wasn't exactly sure what she had to do. Chuckling to himself, he took the one-year olds chubby little hand and gave it a loose shake. A chorus of 'Awwwws' echoed around the auditorium.

"Sorry, I haven't got a diploma for you, little one. But well done." He chuckled softly.

Hope nervously glanced to her mother who was smiling widely back at her. "Well done baby, you graduated." She murmured.

Nodding her thanks, Emma then proceeded across the stage, giving the crowd another fleeting glance as she reached the stairs on the other side before looking to her brown haired daughter who had spun her head around over Emma's shoulder and watched the Dean wave 'goodbye' to her.

Together they quickly descended the stairs and Emma returned to her seat with the rest of her graduating class where she continued to listen to the Dean and the faculty address the graduating year with inspirational speeches about their future.

With the ceremony finally coming to an end, Emma, along with the other graduates stood and started to cheer as they flung their black graduate caps into the air. As Emma's gaze left her cap mid-flight, she glanced to her daughter who with wide eyes was watching in awe as the sky above her was filled with black caps.

"We've done it, sweetheart." Emma murmured to her daughter as they slowly made their way through the crowd of graduates to find her family.

It was Ruby who found the blonde and the one year old first, she rushed up to them both and engulfed them both in a big bear hug. Kissing them both on their cheeks, she clapped her hands together and gestured for Emma to give Hope to her for a while. "Hey snuggle-bug." Ruby said, securing the one year old on her hip and turning back to Mary-Margaret and David who sidled up to the blonde.

"Congratulations, Em." MM and David said in unison as they placed chaste kisses on the blonde's cheek.

**~()~**

"So, this where you'll be stationed, Emma." The older grey-haired woman gestured to the small partition cubicle.

The blonde woman frowned slightly; before her was a desk, computer and a filing cabinet housed in the corner of the cubicle. "And this floor is just Youth Services? She asked, taking a step back and looking out to the sea of partitioned cubicles. She was a little overwhelmed by how cramped the conditions were.

The older woman chuckled lightly and shook her head. "No Emma. You are the only one in your department for Youth Services. All the Council departments are housed here. Adult Services, Housing, Benefits, Waste Management…so on and so forth…"

"Oh right. Sorry." The blonde gave the woman a lopsided apologetic grin.

"It's quite alright. Everyone who starts here thinks the same. You aren't the first and won't be the last. Most departments are made up of one or two people. It's a small town after all." The woman shrugged. "Anyway, I'll let you settle in. There's a 'heads of department' meeting in about an hour's time. You'll be expected to attend. It's in the Council chambers; located on the second floor, west wing." The older woman smiled. "Welcome to Storybrooke Council."

"Thanks for everything, Marjorie." Emma smiled. "Actually, what department are you with?"

"Mayoral." Marjorie replied, giving the blonde a tight smile. Her fingers clutched the edges of her ring-binder folder tighter. "It's me who you will speak to if you ever need to contact the Mayors Chambers."

Emma gave the woman a knowing nod. Realising in that moment that Marjorie and the other departments would have been given a heads up about the new placement to Youth Services. And she under no illusion that she would have been gossiped about around the water coolers at any given chance. Not only because she was fresh out of university or that she is married to the old sheriff, but more importantly because of her connection to the Mayor. After all, she was still Cora's daughter in law.

"Well I look forward to speaking to you, Marjorie." Emma said, slinging her brown satchel off her shoulder and dropping it on the desk. She smiled warmly at the woman.

"You too, Emma." Marjorie replied, turning quickly and disappearing amongst the sea of cubicles.

Emma flopped into her seat, fired up her computer and glanced around her 'department' cubical. "Here's to the first day as a youth worker, Emma." The blonde murmured to herself.

About two hours later, Emma pushed open the large dark rosewood door and exited the 'heads of department' meeting in the Council Chambers. Although she wasn't expected to take part nor report anything at the meeting, she did however need to introduce herself to the other department heads. Nervously she rose from her seat and immediately started to fiddle with her black biro in her hands as she awkwardly introduced herself. Glancing around at the room of faces staring back at her, all unfamiliar, except for David Nolan, the new sheriff and Cora Mills who was sitting at the end of the large mahogany meeting table, her hands clasped together as Emma spoke.

"Thank you, Miss Swan." Cora had coldly said when Emma finished. Immediately all eyes were on the Mayor.

Slinking back into her seat, Emma's gaze drifted to the ginger coloured haired man next to her. He offered a supportive smile in return. Raising her eyebrows silently at the man, she then lazily directed her gaze to Cora who was talking about town budgets or something like that. The blonde wasn't too sure what was going on.

With her head lowered slightly, the blonde steadily followed the crowd down the wide corridor as they made their way back to their floor. As she reached the staircase that she'd ascended two hours ago, she felt a gentle tap on her shoulder. Turning her head sharply, she was surprised to see Marjorie standing purse lipped behind her.

"Mayor Mills would like to you see you, Emma." The older woman murmured, glancing to her left as few people passed them on the stairs.

"Of course." Emma sighed.

Marjorie nodded sharply. "This way." And with that she turned sharply expecting the blonde to follow her.

The grey-haired woman knocked sharply on the door and stepped away, she glanced to the blonde standing beside her who was intently focused on the tiled flooring before her. A moment later, she heard the command to come in. Pushing against the door, she glanced to Emma and nodded for her to enter first.

As Emma entered the Mayor's office, she glanced over her shoulder to Marjorie who had her hand poised on the brass doorknob before glancing to Cora Mills who was sitting at her desk, elbow deep in paperwork.

"Ms Swan…" Marjorie announced to the Mayor.

Without breaking eye contact with the paperwork, Cora waved Marjorie away. Emma stopped in the middle of the office and glanced back to the closing door before turning her attention to her mother in law who still hadn't acknowledged her presence. Clearing her throat softly, Emma licked her lips as she watched Cora continue with her paperwork.

"A drink?" Cora stoic voice announced.

"Yes please…" Emma replied.

"I'll have a scotch on the rock." Cora said, finally lifting her head and making eye contact with the blonde before glancing to the crystal decanter on the side board by the ten chair meeting table.

Emma's gaze followed her mother in laws. "Oh! Right. Okay." the blonde moved over to the sideboard and immediately poured out a scotch for her mother in law before helping herself to a glass of water. As Emma made her way back to her mother in law, Cora stood and walked around the desk, her hand ready to accept the drink from her daughter in law.

Handing Cora her drink, Emma then followed the woman to the black leather office suite that was positioned on the other side of the room. She waited until her mother in law sat first before sitting down in the other armchair.

"How are you finding your first day, Ms Swan." Cora said, placing the crystal tumbler on the coffee table in front of her. Crossing one leg over the other, she rested her folded hands in her lap, waiting for Emma to answer.

"Oh, um…yeah..It's fine I guess.." Emma murmured taking a sip of her water before placing it down on the coffee table. She copied Cora's sitting position.

The older woman nodded thoughtfully. "And they are making you feel welcome?"

Emma nodded. "Aha. Yep, everyone has been great."

Cora didn't reply, she was silently scrutinizing Emma's choice of work attire. Skinny jeans and grey- blue saturn blouse. It was a fair assumption to make that the blouse didn't belong to Emma. If she was mistaken, she believed it belonged to her own daughter.

After a few moments of silence, Emma spoke. "Sorry Cora, but why am I here?"

"It has come to my attention that people are gossiping about my decision to appoint you to Youth Services. Given our history, I can see why people may think that I favoured you over other candidates…"

"Oh…" Emma murmured.

Cora leant forward, took a sip of her scotch. "Just idle gossip, Ms Swan. But I'd like to think that I made the right decision."

"Of course. But I believe I deserve the chance to do the role I've been employed for." Emma replied with a frown.

"Good, because I'd hate to be proven wrong, Ms Swan. I expect a certain level of professionalism from my employees regardless of who they are to me." Cora offered the blonde a tight smile.

"Understood." Emma replied, leaning forward to take a hold of her glass of water. _Why didn't I pour myself some scotch?_ Emma thought to herself. Taking a sip, she replaced the glass and glanced back to her mother in law.

Humming her approval, Cora eyes drifted over the blonde's attire again. Emma picked up on the subtle hint that what she was wearing wasn't entirely suitable. The blonde pulled at the hem of the blouse. "And how is your daughter, Ms Swan?" Cora finally said.

Emma instantly smiled at the thought of her daughter. "Yes, she's doing well. Talking. Well, actually saying only a couple of words." Emma wistfully glanced away as she thought about Hope saying 'Momma' at every given chance. "Have you heard from Regina lately? I'd like her to know about her daughter." She countered, knowing that the mention of her own daughter's name would strike a chord with her mother in law.

"I haven't…" Cora offering no more information.

The blonde pursed her lips together tightly. Emma knew even if she had, Cora wouldn't tell her.

"It seems my daughter has moved on from her past, Ms Swan. Perhaps it's time you do as well…" Cora replied after a long moment, picking up the glass of scotch and standing, she made her way back to her desk and started going through her paperwork again, without acknowledging Emma's presence.

Sensing that the meeting was over, Emma frowned as she stood, she glanced to her mother in law who was averting her attention to the paperwork in front of her. Sighing softly to herself, Emma silently exited the Mayors office without glancing back to her mother in law.

**~()~**

The blonde retreated from the walk-in wardrobe with another pile of her wife's clothes gathered in her arms. Dropping the pile on her bed, she started folding each item carefully before placing them in the cardboard boxes at the foot of the bed.

A week had passed before Emma built up the courage to begin the process of moving on from Regina. Even though she was still a little reluctant to do so, she figured that if she did things in small steps, it would hopefully ease the pain of separation she had gnawing in the pit of her stomach.

So, here she was boxing up her wife's clothes and housing them in the loft. Out of sight, out of mind she kept telling herself as she placed each item in the boxes. Picking up the grey-blue Saturn blouse she had worn on her first day of her new job, she suddenly stopped and clutched the blouse tightly in her hands. Tears sprung in her eyes as she lifted the blouse to her face and breathed in the remnants of her wife's aroma. She started to sob uncontrollably into the blouse for the next few minutes.

Wiping her now puffy red eyes with the back of her hands as she tried in vain to control her sobs until they subsided, she looked to the blouse, bundled it up into a ball and then threw it in the box by her feet before closing the lid in quick succession. She then turned to the rest of Regina's clothes in the wardrobe, gathered up another box and proceeded to dump the rest of the designer clothes into it, with out any care given.

"Out of sight, out of mind." Emma murmured disdainfully to herself as she then went around the bedroom and the house placing all of Regina's personal items into the small box.

About thirty minutes later she was finished. This would be the last box to be stored in the loft. Although whilst she had been gathering up all of Regina's possessions, she did for a moment decide that she would donate all the brunette's clothes and possessions to charity. But in hindsight, she realised that she wasn't ready to give away anything. Well to be brutally honest, it was the framed photograph of their daughter when she was born that reminded her there was still hope that one day the brunette would return.

Looking at the several boxes scattered around her bedroom, Emma spoke to herself again. "She's moved on, it's time to do the same."

Picking up the first box, she retreated out of the bedroom and stood in the corridor underneath the loft hatch, looking at the red rope handle that was dangling down. "Out of sight, out of mind."

**~()~**

**PRESENT (2hours ago)**

As the taxi turned into her street, the brunette slid down the cushioned back seat, her eyes peered just over the door, her gaze drifting from house to house, apartment block to apartment block as the yellow taxi passed them.

Not much further She thought to herself as she glanced to the driver who hadn't uttered a word to her for the last twenty minutes. "It's down the other end of the road…" She murmured softly, causing the driver to slightly turn his head toward the brunette. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the brunette woman shuffle in her seat, she was glancing out of the rear window.

"I think we lost em' about an hour ago. He muttered, glancing into the rear vision mirror trying to meet her eyes. "You should really call the police, lady. I know I would if I had people tryin' to kill me." He shook his head in disbelief.

The brunette raised her eyebrows, appreciative of the guy's sentiment. "I am the police…" She stopped herself. "I was. I mean…"

The guy turned his head right around. "Whatcha mean? You not anymore…"

Regina pursed her lips together tight, nodded her head and glanced out the window. "No, not anymore…" Her voice trailed off.

"Beat cop?" He questioned.

She shook her head.

"Detective?"

She nodded. "Yeah…"

"Retiring?" He asked, glancing into the mirror again at the brunette.

Regina's gaze met the drivers. "Something like that…"

The driver pulled a face, he was a little confused. The brunette appeared a little too young to be retiring. "Ain't you a little young to be retiring?" He spoke before realising he was prying too much.

Regina didn't reply. She glanced away from the man and out the window. Perhaps he had a point. She was only thirty-three and in the prime of her life. Retirement for her had been up until today, not even a conceived thought. She glanced back to the driver. "I made Sheriff when I was twenty-three…" She hoped that this reply would justify or even pacify the guys curiosity. Immediately her reply sparked another memory. The day she became sheriff of Storybrooke.

_Her girlfriend, Emma Swan smiled widely as she squinted into the view finder of the camera. The blonde was lining up the shot to make sure that all three of the Mills family would fit in the frame. _

_Regina couldn't help but metaphorically pinch herself every time she thought of the blonde as her girlfriend. Her first thought every morning since, was how on earth had she got so lucky? _

_It all happened the moment the dynamic of their friendship changed when they realised and impulsively acted upon their feelings for each other at the fourth of July celebrations out by the lake. _

_Which led them in the days following to speak quite candidly about their feelings towards one another. And then about a week later, it was Regina who had officially asked Emma out on a date. Which was quickly followed up by several more dates until the moment, Regina asked Emma to 'officially' be her girlfriend. _

_And now almost three months later, here they were standing outside the Council offices of Storybrooke celebrating Regina's appointment to becoming sheriff. _

_Regina and her parents stood shoulder to shoulder dressed in their formal attire, with wide beaming smiles plastered over their faces as they waited for Emma to take the photo. _

_Regina sneaked a sideward glance to her father, Henry Mills. The smile he held spoke volumes; she could tell that he was the proudest of them all. _

"_Okay, say cheese!" Emma called out to the Mills family. _

"_Cheese!" The family said in unison. _

_Emma took a few shots in quick concession before dropping the camera from her gaze, she held Henry's camera tightly as she walked back to the family. "I'd like a copy as well, please Mr Mills. _

"_Of course. But Emma please call me, Henry. We're practically family." The greying haired man chuckled. _

_Emma nodded. "Sorry, Henry." _

"_I'll print some off tonight, Emma." Henry said, glancing into the small screen on the back of the camera. _

"_Thanks, Mr ..." She stopped herself. "Henry." Emma gave an apologetic lopsided grin. _

"_Now, how about one of you and my daughter?" Henry nudged Emma to stand beside his only daughter before walking a few feet away, raising the camera to his eye. _

_Regina glanced to the blonde as she sidled up next to her; giving Emma a flirty wink, she wrapped her left arm around the blonde's waist and pulled her closer. Together they smiled widely back at Henry Mills. _

_Giving them a thumbs up after a few moments, Henry lowered his camera, glanced to his wife Cora who was standing to the side chatting with a councillor. "Cora, dear." His wife glanced toward her husband. "Photo." He sing-songed as he raised the camera and nodded toward their daughter and her girlfriend. _

_Offering a murmured apology to the councillor, Cora indicated that she wouldn't be a minute as she re-joined her daughter. Emma instinctively moved away from Regina, allowing Henry to take a photo of the Mills women. _

"_No. No. I want one with all my girls." Henry said, raising the camera to his eye and waving Emma to stand back beside his daughter. _

_Resuming her position beside her girlfriend, Emma felt Regina's hand slip back around her waist. Cora glanced toward the couple, she smiled tightly before turning toward her Husband. Her smile not quite reaching her eyes. _

_Henry took a succession of shots, then stopped. "Oh shoot, I had it on video mode" He chuckled to himself. _

_Cora pulled a face. "For God sakes Henry, I haven't got all day." She snapped. Her eyes drifted toward the councillor who was now talking business with someone else. Huffing softly to herself, she glanced to camera. This time, no smile at all. _

_Taking the shots, Henry lowered the camera from his eye and strolled back to his family. _

"_Regina darling, your celebratory luncheon has been brought forward half-hour." Cora advised; her gaze already locked to her mobile as she scrolled through her messages. _

_After a beat, Regina spoke. "Actually, Emma and I were going to celebrate with Ruby over at Granny's." _

_This comment made Cora glance up from her phone. She pursed her lips together tightly. "Dear, it is customary for the new Sheriff to attend this luncheon. Councillors and important dignitaries will be in attendance, it's a good way to network with these people and introduce yourself to the business community. It's tradition." Cora dropped her mobile into her small handbag before slipping the bag over her shoulder. "You can celebrate with Miss Lucas & Miss Swan anytime." _

_Regina frowned slightly. "Mother, I understand but...Emma and I promised..." She was cut off by the sharp glare her mother was giving her. _

"_Miss Swan can attend as your guest, I suppose. It would mean that we would have to reshuffle the tables..." Cora glanced to her assistant who was now standing beside her. "Perhaps squeeze Miss Swan on one of the back tables." She continued to her assistant who smirked in reply. This didn't go unnoticed by Emma. _

"_Actually, it's fine. I have a class this afternoon. I should be going anyway." Emma piped up. _

_Regina glanced to her girlfriend, her eyes pleading with Emma not to leave her. _

"_Oh well, that's settles that." Cora looked pleased as punch that the blonde wasn't joining her family. "Regina come along." She continued as she turned her attention away from her family and started relaying commands to her assistant as they strolled away from the small family. _

_Emma's frowned gaze left Cora and returned to her girlfriend. "Gina it's fine. Go to your fancy lunch, we can celebrate tonight." She offered Regina a lopsided grin as she took a hold of the brunette's hands, giving them a gentle squeeze. _

"_Are you sure? You don't mind." Regina asked. _

_Emma nodded. "Go, I'll see you tonight."_

_Regina smiled. "Okay, I'll see you tonight. "She leant forward and captured her girlfriends' pale soft lips. _

Regina instinctively touched her lips as she gazed out the taxi window toward the row of houses. Even after all these years she still missed the softness of Emma's lips against her own. She wondered to herself how long it would be when she returned to Storybrooke would she feel the blonde's lips upon her own. Shaking away the thought, she snapped back to reality. She had to get their first.

Craning her neck around the front passenger seat, she could see her apartment building in distance, about two hundred feet away. "Here's fine…" She murmured.

The taxi sharply pulled to the kerb and the driver glanced over his shoulder for the final time to the brunette. "You sure lady? I don't mind dropping you outside your place, just in case."

Regina shook her head. "Thank you, but here is fine." She handed over all the cash she had on her and immediately opened the passenger door and got out. Glancing over the top of the taxi, she made sure the coast was clear before stepping away from the vehicle.

The front passenger side window wound down and the driver leaned over the seat, waving the fifty dollars at the brunette. "You've given me too much."

"Keep it. It's for your troubles." She murmured as she started to walk away from the taxi.

**~()~**

**FIVE YEARS AGO...**

Regina studied her reflection in the mirror, her eyes eventually drifted to the hairdresser standing behind her, scissors poised in such a way, ready for the transformation. "I'm sure."

The hairdresser nodded. "I'll cut it into a graduated bob. That way if you change your mind, it won't take too long to grow out." She looked to the brunette in the mirror.

Regina remained silent. She wasn't going to change her mind. The decision was already made. "Can I have highlights as well?" She said after a moment.

The hairdresser smiled. "Sure, they will enhance your features. Has anyone ever told you, you have lovely bone structure in your cheeks?"

The brunette pulled a face. Nobody since Emma had told her how naturally beautiful, she was.

"We offer beauty and a make-up service for a small charge..." The hairdresser commented while she started to snip away at the ends.

"She'll take you up on that offer." Belle commented as she approached Regina and the hairdresser. Her hands full of shopping bags. Placing them down by the chair, she glanced to her friend.

"She's the boss..." Regina murmured.

The hairdresser smiled widely. "Excellent!"

An hour later she was spun around in the chair and faced the mirror. With wide eyes, the brunette studied her full face of make-up. Her pale plump lips were now blood red, a beauty mark pencilled in by the side of her mouth, a light dusting of blush applied to her cheeks and false eye lashes had been added; she fluttered them a few times as she got used to them. Heavy mascara applied to her eyes with a wisp of pencilled eyeliner peaking from the corner of her eyes. Regina didn't almost recognise herself.

The hairdresser and beauty technician smiled widely into the mirror; their gaze directed upon the brunette.

Turning her head side to side, Regina noticed the subtle highlights glistening in the natural light. Her once shoulder length brunette hair gone and replaced with this wavy graduated bob. She then looked to her newly painted false fingernails. Blood red like her lips. Examining them, she then looked into the mirror again and smiled. Regina Mills was gone. Dead. The woman now sat in the hairdressing chair was Veronica 'Roni' Conti. She glanced over to Belle who looked up from her phone.

Giving her friend a smile, Belle stood beside the brunette. "I almost don't recognise you, Roni."

Regina remained silent as their gazes met in the mirror.

Minutes later they were leaving the salon, Regina followed Belle out into the street, she was pulling at the sleeves of the newly purchased black leather jacket Belle had chosen for her. Tight leather jackets were not her style. She was more comfortable in designer tailored blazers and pantsuits.

Noticing a mailbox directly outside the salon, Regina dug deep into her jeans pocket and pulled out a folded envelope. She unfolded it and approached the mailbox. Belle gave her a questioning glance. "Cancelling my Readers Digest subscription" Regina quipped.

But in fact, it was a one page letter to her best friend, Ruby Lucas in Storybrooke. Holding the envelope between her fingers, she thought about what she had written in the letter. Hopefully it was enough for her friend to go by. She hoped she hadn't missed anything. She hoped it would get to Ruby in time. Pursing her lips tightly together, she dropped it in the mailbox and walked away. It was done.

Together her and Belle silently carried on down the sidewalk; Belle pointed at a black Audi TT parked about half a block away. As they approached it, Belle handed Regina the numerous shopping bags she'd been carrying and the keys to the Audi.

"My my Belle you have been busy today." Regina commented as she gave the car the once over.

"Compliments of Special Branch. Robert said he wants it returned in one piece once this is all over."

Regina rolled her eyes as she pointed the fob at the car. The lights flashed once, and the driver's door automatically opened. She raised her eyebrows in wonderment to Belle before slinging the numerous shopping bags over into the compact backseat.

"There's a tracker mounted in the car, so we'll know where it is at all times." Belle commented. "I need to tell you that there's a mobile in the glovebox for you to use. There's an encrypted secure app installed which you will use for Intel. Gino's bakery in Beacon Hill is the safe zone. Your contact will exchange the code phrases which will be sent via encrypted texts daily. This will ensure total security between yourself and your contact. Apart from that, you are on your own, Roni."

Regina nodded sharply. She understood what was being said to her.

"Any questions?" Belle asked, she glanced to the black van that pulled up behind the Audi. Her ride back to BPD had arrived.

Regina shook her head, she glanced over to the black van. "Actually, I have one." She noticed a ruggedly handsome man exit from the side sliding door of the van, he approached the women.

"Go on." Belle said.

"Were you in SB when we first met?"

A subtle smile spread over Belle's face, she glanced to the man. "This is Neil Cassidy...He'll get you inside Gambino's Cartel. The rest is up to you. Goodbye and good luck Roni." She nodded to Neil as she passed him and hopped inside the back of the van.

Regina and Neil watched as the black van sharply pulled away from the curb and sped down the street. Neil turned to Regina. "Ready for the start of your new life?"

Regina didn't respond.

**~()~**

Ruby turned the plain white envelope over, no return address. _Odd _she thought as she tapped the envelope in the palm of her hand. She glanced to the small pile of mail that she'd picked up from the post office moments earlier. It was the usual. Paid invoices, advertising junk mail and a few bills. Reaching for the gold letter opener, she pierced the small envelope and sliced it open along the edge. Inside was a single folded piece of paper. _Curious _she thought to herself as she pulled it out and unfolded the paper. The date written on the top was from two days ago. She glanced to the bottom of the page. A familiar scrawl of a name written. _Regina. _

She began reading the letter.

_Ruby,_

_I feel terrible that I am now, after all these years, finally communicating with you. I apologise profusely; it was never my intention to leave the reasons I left, go unanswered for so long. My actions were a direct consequence of my mother's doing. And to be honest, I realised far to late how she had orchestrated my life in such a way where it became unbearable to simply stand up to her. I was weak minded and would have done anything to gain her approval I had craved all my life. An empty excuse perhaps, but it is the truth. _

_The life I have made now has reached a point where I am to make yet another decision. So I have only one favour to ask of you. In a few days you will hear of my death (in the line of duty) But this won't be the case. I will be very much alive. Upon hearing the news, shed tears but also be the emotional rock my wife deserves, then and in the years to come. She will need your strength, Ruby. _

_I would say to tell no one about this letter, but I have a sneaking suspicion, your Granny will find out if she hasn't already. I trust her to also keep this secret. And I know she will do all that she can to protect Emma. _

_Its a lot to ask someone to hold a secret and lie to their best friend but it is imperative for not only my safety but Emma's as well. But I wouldn't ask this of anyone, Ruby. You are my dearest, closest friend who apart from Emma I have total faith in. I trust that you will discard this letter, burn it if you must. Straight away. _

_Forever your best friend, _

_Regina. _

"Well she did always have a flair for the dramatic..." Granny murmured, over Ruby's shoulder. She had read the letter as her granddaughter read it.

Ruby swivelled in her seat; the letter discarded with the small pile of mail. "She wants me to lie to Emma. I am not sure I can, Granny. Emma deserves to know the truth."

"Don't be daft girl; Regina wouldn't have written this if she didn't have good reason. She's been gone two years and not a word...until now. Why? Because it's obvious, whatever she's got herself into is something serious. She wants to know that Emma is looked after because she knows she won't be able too." Granny paused. "And we will. We'll do what she asks, no questions."

Ruby saw reason. She didn't like it, but she would do as she was asked. To be the emotional rock Emma needed. Something that she had already been doing for the last couple of years. Off her own back. "Okay Granny."

"Now go and burn that letter." Granny muttered as she waddled out of the small office and returned to the front of the diner.

Ruby rose from her chair, folded the letter in half. She silently exited the office and went directly outside to the alleyway behind the diner. Pulling out the cheap throwaway lighter from her back pocket of her jeans, she flicked the wheel and a flame appeared. Hovering the folded letter over the flame, she watched as it licked the edge of the paper and caught fire. Dropping the letter into a metal trash can, she watched as the letter slowly turned to ash. It was done.

**~()~**

Emma still remembered where she was when she had received the phone call. She had just finished work for the day and was exiting the Council Offices to pick up her daughter from nursery when she received the call. It was so out of the blue. The woman, Belle, she was sure that was her name had totally floored her with the news that her wife, Detective Regina Mills had died in the line of duty. Belle explained briefly that Regina had been investigating a gangland crime when she in the aftermath had inadvertently was caught in the crossfire of the two opposing gangs. Belle had performed the formal identification hours earlier and was now contacting the next of kin. She expressed her condolences to Emma and informed her that Boston Police Department would organise the funeral. Regina's body would be transported to Storybrooke once the ME had finished their investigation. She then mentioned that perhaps an open casket funeral would be best avoided as it could cause more distress to the blonde. Emma didn't even give that a second thought.

And now, almost a week later she was standing in the cemetery surrounded by her family, the Mills and friends staring at the mahogany casket of her dead wife. An American flag was draped over the casket. The blonde felt her best friend Ruby take her hand and squeeze gently. Letting the blonde know she was there for her. After a moment, Emma glanced to Ruby. The brunettes hollow gaze mirrored her own. That's what she felt now. Empty. Except for the silent tears of sadness that flowed down her pale cheeks.

Emma looked back to the casket, it was now being lowered into the earth. As it reached the bottom, people stepped forward and dropped the handful of soil from their hands. Some would glance at Emma, whilst others offered words of condolence before silently move on. She looked over to Cora and Henry Mills. Regina's mother dressed head to toe in black. A veil covered her face, hiding her emotion from the world. Henry Mills dabbed at his tears with a cotton handkerchief as he murmured his sorrow to the casket. He was devastated. Broken. Never did he believe that he would be burying his only child. It should be the other way around. He shook his head in disbelief, crossed his chest with his fingers. Kissed his knuckles and looked to the sky. A silent prayer for his daughter.

Emma caught his eye, they nodded in unison before her gaze fell upon the casket again.

"Emma..." Ruby murmured. "Its time..."

The blonde blinked back her tears as she glanced to her friend. Nodding, she crouched down and gathered up a handful of soil. As she stood, she clenched the dirt in her fist and extended her hand over the open hole. A moment later, she dropped it. Watching as the soil landed over the coffin. Her gaze finally dropped to her chest. She was Heartbroken.

"I'll always love you." The blonde murmured to herself.

Ruby stepped closer to her friend, she extended her arm around the blonde's shoulder, pulling her closer, she rested her head on the blonde's shoulder. Together they stood watching as the grave was filled.

The journey back to their house was a silent one. Ruby sighed deeply as they pulled into the blonde's drive. She glanced to her friend. Emma didn't even register that they were now home. Silently Ruby got out of the car and went around to Emma's side. Opening the door, she extended her hand for the blonde to take. Which Emma did automatically before letting it drop as she walked onward to the house. Not waiting for her friend.

Closing the back door, Ruby padded softly against the wooden flooring through the house. She was greeted by Emma's sister Mary-Margaret in the foyer who glanced up the stairs. That must be where Emma had disappeared to. Ascending the stairs, Ruby glanced into each bedroom until she found Emma in the master bedroom. The blonde was sat on the end of the bed, clutching her daughter's fleece blanket. Ruby sat down beside her friend, rested her hand on the blonde's knee.

"She will never know her daughter..." Emma whispered. Fresh tears formed in her jade green eyes.

"Oh Emma..." Ruby consoled. "But Hope will know her. You need to make sure she does. We all will."

Emma lowered her gaze and snuggled the blanket against her cheek. She promised herself in that moment that she would always tell Hope about her other mother.

**~()~**

**FOUR YEARS AGO...**

Regina dropped the newspaper to the floor in surprise and stepped away from it. Running her fingers through her wavy bob, she closed her eyes, unable to believe what she had just read. Her parents were dead. A tragic accident had taken their lives.

It was by chance that she had read the article.

She had been reading another article about the disappearance of an undercover detective whose body had been found in wasteland near the docks by the Charles River when she stumbled on the small article about the Small-Town Mayor and Husbands tragic death. The article about the detective was one that she was all too familiar with. Because she was not only responsible but had orchestrated his disappearance and ultimately his murder. All to save her own arse. Word on the street was that undercover officers from Major Crimes had infiltrated the Gamboli Cartel. To prove herself to Gamboli herself, she did the unthinkable. She snitched up Neil Cassidy. The same officer that had over a year ago got her on the inside.

She came up with a cock an' bull story about having her doubts about Neil from day one and ever since then made it her mission to prove her suspicions right. She knew that this would be a dicey move but justified her actions because no doubt her every move would be watched. The Gamboli Cartel weren't amateurs, so she needed to stay one step in front, always and at any cost.

All in all, it had taken her two days to find Cassidy, have him kidnapped by her small team of protectors and then murdered. The body had been found two days later by a small-time development team who were interested in developing the wasteland into some million-pound apartment complex by the river. Protocol was to inform SB about the murder but because there was too much "heat" on her as it was, she decided to stay low off Special Branches radar until everything blew over. Not the wisest of moves but to portray a sense of transparency with the Italian Cartel it was an absolute necessity.

After all, she had her own cover to think of. Unfortunately, Neil Cassidy was a causality of the war against the Organised Crime Gangs of Boston.

"You alright, Roni? You look like you've seen a ghost." The burly protector asked as he picked up the paper. He glanced to the main article and then to his boss. Roni Conti.

She snatched the paper from him. "Of course." She muttered, folding the paper in half as she strolled over to the bar. She flicked her index finger to the bartender who promptly started pouring her favourite tipple. Scotch on the rocks. Hold the rocks.

A moment later, a glass tumbler was placed in front of her. And in one swift motion, she picked it up, downed it and tapped the glass against the countertop. Silently asking for another.

"That pig had what was coming to him..." The protector murmured as he stood beside Regina.

She glanced in his direction as another scotch was presented to her. She remained silent. Closing her eyes for a moment, her thoughts centred on her parents and not on the "pig" who deserved it. Briefly she thought of her mother but quickly her thoughts centred on her father and how much she missed him.

Henry Mills had always been her beacon of light and love; even in her darkness days when her mother would sink her cancerous claws in her and disparage her from loving herself, just because she wasn't born normal.

"_Regina don't let her get to you. Don't allow her to fill your head with hate. Although she may be right, you aren't normal. You are so much more than that. You are special! An extraordinary talented woman, who has the ability to show compassion, to love and be loved. These attributes will never compare to the darkness that seeps into her heart. I fear she is only jealous of you and will always infect you with her hatred. But you stay strong child. And show her there is more to life than what she offers." Henry Mills said as he held his only daughter tight. _

"_I will father..." Regina murmured softly. _

Regina opened her eyes. She looked to the glass of scotch. It was too late; her mother had filled her head and heart with hatred. Hatred for herself and those she should care about. But then a realisation formed. Her parents were dead, she was essentially free from her mother's tirade of abuse. She was free to love again. To love herself. She glanced to the burly protector perched on the stool beside. "Go be with your family, Mario. I'll see you in the morning."

Mario glanced up for the newspaper. "Roni?"

"I'll be fine. Just go."

Folding the paper in half, Mario pushed himself away from the bar and hopped off the perch, without a word of goodbye or glance towards his boss, he silently exited the bar.

She glanced to the bartender. "You too. I'll lock up tonight."

The bartender handed Roni the keys and gathered his jacket from the coat hook before slipping it on. He glanced to Roni as he appeared on the other side of the bar. "Thank you, Miss Conti." And with a head nod, he walked out if the bar, without another word.

Regina sighed to herself. She had felt his presence. She couldn't say for sure how long he'd been watching her for from the shadows, but she figured it had been for the last ten minutes. When the atmosphere in the bar had changed.

"You can come out now, Gold."

Silence. No movement.

She got up from her stool and walked around the bar. Pouring some scotch into a glass, she slid it across the bar and then picked her one up.

Gold appeared from the shadows.

"You need to teach me that trick." Regina muttered to herself as she took a swig of her scotch. Downing it in one.

Gold picked up his glass and looked at the amber nectar. He twisted the glass in his hand and then downed the liquid in one. Smacking his lips together, he placed the glass back on the bar. He looked to Regina.

"If this visit is about Neil then all I can say is I am sorry your son was caught up in the politics of the business."

Gold helped himself to another scotch. "You're sorry? That's all you can say for yourself. Why didn't you give me warning? We could have prepared him, created an illusion of his death but instead my son has paid the ultimate price no thanks to your bullheadedness."

"I know I am being watched. By everyone. By Gamboli himself. There was no time to plan anything, it needed to be done. To prove a point to Gamboli, that I can be trusted. You would have done the same." She shrugged.

"Well it seems the apprentice has outgrown the teacher, Regina." He glanced to the scotch and then downed it in one. "Nice scotch." He murmured to her as he set the glass down on the bar. "You will pay for your transgressions eventually." With that he backed away into the shadows.

Feeling the air change in the bar, the brunette knew Gold was gone.

"Everything comes with a price." Regina muttered to herself as collected the glasses and bottle of scotch.

**~()~**

"I just don't understand why they were out by the toll bridge." Mary-Margaret shook her head in disbelief as she glanced from the marble gravestone to her blonde sister who was stood beside her.

Emma didn't offer a reply. Her focus remained on her wife's gravestone which was next to her parents. It had been near enough a year to the day when Regina had passed away.

"David thinks that the snowstorm that night must have impaired their judgement. Said they could have taken a wrong turn. But it was too late when they realised. Black Ice. That's what he is putting it down too. Their car was upturned on the bend. Even today the roads out by the bridge were slippery when we did our morning patrol. Thank God we have snow tyres. Or we could have ended..." Mary-Margaret's voice trailed off. "Sorry..."

Emma glanced to her sister. "Its okay..."

"Anyway..." MM tried to change the subject. "I can tend to their grave if, you know, it's too much for you, Em."

The blonde nodded her appreciation. "Thanks, I'd appreciate that."

MM pursed her lips together and glanced to Regina's grave. "And Regina's too"

Emma shook her head. "No, I will see to it myself."

MM nodded. "Will you tell Hope about her grandparents? Now that they are gone."

"I don't see the point, they wanted nothing to do with her while they were alive. Why should she in their death." Emma crouched down and started pulling weeds from around her wife's gravestone and threw them on the snow-covered grass beside it.

"Does Hope ask about Regina?"

"Aha.." Emma murmured as she tried unsuccessfully to pull out a stubborn weed.

"And what do you tell her, why she isn't here..." MM asked, moving closer to her blonde sister. She reached down an took hold of the weed, twisting it and successfully pulling it out from the root.

"That it didn't work out between us, but that Regina loves her with all her heart."

"Emma. She deserves to know the truth."

"Perhaps, but I'm not lying to her if you think about it. It obviously didn't work out, she left. I know if she was here today, she would love Hope with all her heart." Emma stood, dusted off her gloved hands, wrapped her scarf tight around her neck, she zipped up her jacket. "The only thing I neglect to tell her is, that her other mother is buried in the cemetery." The blonde glanced to her sister as she walked away from her wife's grave and headed toward her car. Leaving her sister alone in the graveyard.

Emma drove slowly over the snow-covered streets back toward her house. Pulling into the drive, she glanced to the new addition to her front yard. There in the middle of the yard was a three-foot tall snowman, black stones arranged to represent a smiling face and two twigs sticking out either side, for it arms. Smiling to herself, she pulled up by the garage and got out of the car. At that moment, Ruby exited from the house with Hope propped up on her hip. Upon seeing her mother, Hope made grabby hands toward her blonde mother.

"Momma!" Hope squealed with delight.

Emma approached her daughter and best friend. Taking the brown haired three-year-old from her friend. She planted kiss after kiss over her daughter's face. Which was responded with giggly squeals from the three-year-old. Emma nodded her head to her best friend, Ruby.

"I see you two have been busy." Emma glanced back to the snowman.

"We builded him, Momma." Hope smile. She was proud of her creation.

"Built." Emma corrected. It went unnoticed by the three-year-old.

Together the three of them walked across the snow-covered grass toward the snowman. Hope squirmed in her mother's arms to get down. Lowering the three-year-old to the ground, Hope skipped toward the snowman who incidentally was as tall as her.

"Look Momma, he has eyes, a mouth and hands." Hope beamed back to her Mother and her God mother Ruby.

"What is his name?" Emma asked.

"Steve Rogers." Hope said seriously.

Emma glanced to Ruby and rolled her eyes. "Have you been watching Captain America again."

"On repeat all morning." Ruby sighed.

"Well I think Steve looks a little cold." Emma unwrapped her red scarf from around her neck and offered it to Hope who promptly wrapped it around Steve Rogers neck. The three-year-old smiled to her mother. "He looks warmer already..."

"We need to build Peggy Carter." Hope said glancing to her God Mother, Ruby.

"Oh, I'd love to snuggle-bug but I have to get to work. Granny will be angry if I turn up late for my shift."

"Will she eat you up because she's the big bad wolf?" Hope asked seriously, she looked to her Mother who nodded in reply.

"No Hope, I am the big bad wolf and I will eat you for my supper." Ruby dashed forward and captured Hope in one swoop. The three-year-old squealed with laughter and squirmed in Ruby's arms.

"Don't eat me, Ruby." Hope shouted. "Momma! Save me from the big bad wolf!" The three-year-old reached for her blonde mother but Ruby was too quick, she dashed off across the snow covered ground toward the house with Emma chasing after them.

Once inside, Ruby had taken Hope to the lounge, she dropped her on the couch and pretended to start gnawing at the three-year olds fingers and toes. Hope squirmed and squealed with excitement until Emma appeared at the doorway, she was holding the metal trashcan lid up like a shield.

"I'll save you little lady!" Emma lowered her voice, doing her best Captain America impression.

Both Ruby and Hope stopped what they were doing and looked to Emma.

The blonde twirled on the spot and took up a stance, just like Capt would.

"You can't save the snuggle-bug. It's too late muhahahaha" Ruby did her best evil laugh.

"We'll see about that..." Emma responded rushing toward Ruby.

Together Ruby and Emma pretended to fight. Fake punches were thrown, the trashcan shield was flung around the room and Emma even used the Captain's catchphrase a few times. 'I can do this all day.'

Little Hope bounced on her knees on the couch as she cheered on her mother. She even mimicked her mothers' actions and pretended to fight Ruby until the blonde and the brunette stopped suddenly and glanced to Hope. The looked to each other and nodded. A two-prong attack on the snuggle-bug was due.

Together Emma and Ruby surrounded the little girl and started tickling her until Hope couldn't take much more.

"Do you declare Mercy, snuggle-bug?" Ruby asked.

The little brown-haired girl nodded animatedly. "Mercy! Mercy! Mercy!"

Emma and Ruby gave each other high five and just like that the game was over.

"Anyway, I better go, or I will be late for work. Laters snuggle-bug." Ruby kissed the girl on the cheek and gave her a hug. "Emma." She discreetly nodded for the blonde to join her.

Emma pointed the remote at the television. The paused image of Captain America sprung to life and immediately Hope was distracted.

Emma and Ruby stood by Ruby's red charger. It was amazing to think that the old beast still ran like a dream.

"So how was it? The funeral." Ruby asked as she toyed with her car keys in her hands.

"It went as well as can be expected. A few councillors, some staff, myself and MM were there. It was a small gathering." Emma shrugged.

Ruby pursed her lips together. She nodded. "Good. Granny sends her condolences by the way."

"Tell her thank you." Emma gave a sad smile as she leant into her best friend and gave her a hug.

Ruby nodded as she stepped to her car and got in. She cranked the heating on full, wound down the window. "Laters Momma Swan." She called out, winding the window back up and reversing the car off the drive.

Emma followed the car a few feet on the drive, raised her hand and waved her best friend off.

"Momma, we build Peggy Carter now?" Came a little voice behind the blonde.

Emma turned and smiled widely at her daughter. "Yep let's build Peggy now."

**~()~**

**PRESENT (2 hours ago) **

Regina watched as the taxi drove past her and took the next turning. She glanced over her shoulder. There were no suspicious black BMW following her. She hummed softly to herself at her good fortune but knew who ever they were would eventually find her. Keeping her head low, she briskly walked toward her apartment building. She knew it was only a matter of time.

As she approached the building, she stopped and glanced over her shoulder. A thought. If the Irish Mob knew about her true identity, then Gamboli would also know by now. The Cartel would be watching, she knew this, because that's what she would be doing.

_Watch and wait, Roni. Patience is a virtue and when the time is right. You strike. _That's what old man Gamboli had taught her when she very first started in the cartel.

If they didn't get her today, then it wouldn't be long. Perhaps going back to Storybrooke wasn't the best idea. But the only difference would be that she would be waiting for them.

"Watch and wait then strike." She muttered to herself as she backed away from her apartment building and darted into the shadowy narrow alleyway beside her building. She made herself comfortable in a nest of cardboard boxes, watched and waited. She knew it wouldn't be long until She saw the familiar black Mercedes that would follow her every morning.

**~()~**

**THREE YEARS AGO...**

Emma frowned heavily, her tongue darted out between her lips and held in place as she tried in vain to thread the cotton through the eye of the needle. Why oh why had she suggested that decorating their Christmas Tree with homemade ornaments would be a much better idea than buying generic foiled tinsel and plastic baubles.

"Ouch!" She muttered to herself as she pricked herself for the umpteenth time.

Hope glanced away from her crudely cut out star and to her blonde mother. "Whatcha making Momma?"

The blonde lowered the thread and needle and glanced across the table to her daughter. "Popcorn tinsel, baby. Well I am trying to." She shrugged.

"Can we eat the popcorn?" The four-year-old asked.

Emma shook her head. "No baby. I have covered it in glitter and hairspray. You'll be pooping glitter for days. That stuff gets everywhere." She noted that Hope was now sporting a shimmery glitter trail through her hair. It must be where she'd pushed back her hair from her face with her hands. Sighing to herself, she knew it would be weeks if not longer before all the glitter would be totally gone from the four years old hair.

"How's the star for the top of the tree coming along?" Emma asked.

Hope smiled and picked it up, showing her mom. "nearly finished, Momma."

"It looks fantastic, Snuggle-bug" Emma smiled. She resumed threading the cotton through the needle.

After a few moments of silence, Hope glanced to her mother, she noticed that Emma had now threaded the cotton and was quickly threading the pop corn through the thread. She had finished her star and had placed it to the side. She was deciding what to do next. She started wringing her hands together as she nibbled on her bottom lip as she glanced to her blonde mother.

Out of the corner of her eye, Emma noticed that Hope was struggling with something.

_Interesting! Regina would nibble her bottom lip and wring her hands together when she was nervous. _Emma thought to herself. "What's up, baby? Don't know what to do next?"

Hope stopped nibbling on her lip but continued to wring her hands together.

"Can I make my other mother a..." Hope's voice trailed off.

Emma stopped threading the popcorn and placed the now foot long popcorn tinsel to the table. She looked to her daughter and in that moment, she couldn't help but see Regina in her daughter's eyes.

This had been the first time Hope had initiated any conversation about her other mother. It had always been the blonde who would make a passing comment or point out something that Regina may have said or done in the past.

"Of course, snuggle-bug. She would love it." Emma said, swallowing hard. "How about we make it tradition. You make her an ornament and we place it on the tree every year?"

"She will never see it, Momma." Hope said.

"I know baby, but in her heart, she will know it's there." Emma smiled sadly before pursing her lips tight together. _Hold back the tears, Emma. Don't let her see that you are sad. _

Hope watched her mother carefully. She instinctively noticed that her blonde mother was sad.

"How I was born, Momma." Hope asked after a moment.

Emma's back stiffened, she hadn't been prepared for this line of questioning. She knew the day would come when Hope would be intrigued to know; she just hadn't expected it to be so soon. Perhaps when her daughter was a little older. But not now.

Licking her lips a few times, Emma glanced away. She knew her daughter was waiting. She eventually turned back to the four-year-old. "Come here, snuggle-bug." The blonde extended her arms for the little girl.

Hope hopped off her chair and padded barefoot around the table to her mother and climbed up on her lap. She looked up to the blonde, she noticed a tear straining to fall from her mother's eye.

Emma encased her daughter in a hug, nuzzling her face against the four-year olds. She placed a chaste kiss to the top of her daughter's head. Their eyes meeting solidly.

"You were made from a very special kind of love, sweetheart. Your Mother and I were deeply in love and that love produced you, snuggle-bug."

"I was in your tummy, Momma?"

Emma nodded and smiled. She hoped that this appease her daughter's curiosity. _For now. _

"Where is she..." Hope said after a moment.

_In heaven, baby. _Emma thought to herself. "I don't know..." She eventually said. "But she loves you very much, always remember that sweetheart." The blonde said, steering the conversation away.

"What is her name?" Hope asked.

The blonde blinked a few times. Never had Hope asked what her other mother's name was.

"Regina." Emma murmured.

Hope pursed her lips tight; she furrowed her brow. She hoped off her mother's lap and went back to her side of the table, picking up a bright pink scissors and looked to her mother. "I am going to make R'gina a star."

Emma pursed her lips together and smiled. "Okay, baby." And she went back to making the popcorn tinsel.

**~()~**

**PRESENT (1 hour ago) **

The brunette yawned softly. She'd been sitting in the nest of cardboard boxes for the last hour. Dusk had turned to night and there was still no sign of the black Mercedes. Shuffling on the spot, she uncrossed her legs and rolled her booted feet. Sitting in one place for too long had caused her to have pins and needles in both her feet. She wondered how long it would be until "they" would show their faces. She didn't expect it to be too much longer. Definitely soon, it was dark enough for them to go unnoticed.

From where she was hiding in the mouth of the alleyway, she had the perfect vantage point to see them coming from either direction. Her gaze lazily shifted to the right; a stray tortoise shell cat strolled from between the apartment building on the opposite side of the street. It approached the kerb and stopped suddenly, it's head whipped around in the opposite direction and stealthy it lowered its body to the ground. Regina's gaze followed the cats. Sure enough there it was the black Mercedes crawling slowly down the road. Regina lowered her body amongst the nest of cardboard boxes. Her eyes locked onto the black Mercedes as it slowed to a stop outside her apartment building. She glanced to the cat; it was gone.

_Clever cat_! Regina thought to herself.

The brunette watched the Mercedes for a few long minutes. With its engine idling softly, her one-time protectors were standing by. Obviously, they had been given an order to wait and not act upon. A familiar tactic she had used a dozen times over. Usually they would be stationary for ten minutes. All eyes upon the target as they waited for the opportunity to present itself.

But this time, Regina was going to make sure it didn't. Not only was she running out of patience; her stomach couldn't take much more of the stale urine smell that was wafting up from the side of the building.

Sliding her mobile from her pocket, she sent a text message to Gold. This would be the last message she would ever send him.

**Need a diversion. Call in a suspicious vehicle outside my apartment. Then give me 30mins. Meet me at the Greyhound Terminal. Bring severance. R. **

And send. She pushed the button and slid her phone back into the pocket of her black jeans. Her gaze fell upon the black Mercedes. It's engine still idled softly. The cat still hadn't appeared. She licked her lips and waited. And she wouldn't have to wait long, because she heard the wailing sirens in the distance. They were getting louder.

Gold had got the message, called it in and this was the diversion she needed. The police would drive the Mercedes away, giving her enough time to gather up the essentials from her flat and then make her escape to the Bus Terminal.

The Mercedes engine revved throatily; its halogen lights lit up the road before it. The deafening wail of the sirens approaching grew louder still. Regina could see the blue & red lights from the patrol car reflecting off the opposite apartment building. The Mercedes pulled away sharply. Regina made her move, she stood up just as the police patrol car whizzed by the alley way in pursuit of the black Mercedes.

The brunette darted to the kerb; she watched the red-tail lights of the Mercedes disappear into the night. Digging her keys out of her pocket of her jeans she ran to her apartment building.

Thirty minutes. That's all she had left of this life that she knew.

**THE END.**


End file.
